Necessary AssumptionDiff: Hard
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: Scientists believe two things that, when put together, prove a third thing is false; therefore, the scientists must believe that third thing is false.
Conclusion: Most scientists in the survey do not believe the Minsk Hypothesis is true.
Reasoning: The scientists accept Wang's Law and the Brown-Eisler results, which together logically disprove the Minsk Hypothesis.
Analysis: This argument assumes that the scientists are logically consistent and have actually connected the dots between what they know and what it implies. In the world of the LSAT, just because someone knows 'A' and knows 'A implies B,' you cannot assume they have concluded 'B' unless the argument explicitly states they've made that connection. The 'Gap' here is the scientists' awareness of the contradiction. Look for an answer that bridges the gap by stating the scientists actually recognize that their beliefs are incompatible with the Minsk Hypothesis.
Conclusion: Most scientists in the survey do not believe the Minsk Hypothesis is true.
Reasoning: The scientists accept Wang's Law and the Brown-Eisler results, which together logically disprove the Minsk Hypothesis.
Analysis: This argument assumes that the scientists are logically consistent and have actually connected the dots between what they know and what it implies. In the world of the LSAT, just because someone knows 'A' and knows 'A implies B,' you cannot assume they have concluded 'B' unless the argument explicitly states they've made that connection. The 'Gap' here is the scientists' awareness of the contradiction. Look for an answer that bridges the gap by stating the scientists actually recognize that their beliefs are incompatible with the Minsk Hypothesis.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage18.The argument requires assuming which one of the following?
Correct Answer
A
The argument requires that the scientists are generally aware that Wang’s Law plus the Brown–Eisler results contradict Minsk. Negation test: if they aren’t aware of this conflict, then they could accept/know those inputs yet still not reject Minsk, undermining the conclusion.
Upgrade Your Prep
Ready to go beyond free explanations?
LSAT Perfection is the #1 modern LSAT prep platform, trusted by thousands of students for comprehensive test strategies, advanced drilling, and full analytics on every PrepTest.
Detailed explanations for 59 PrepTests
Advanced drillset builder
Personalized analytics
Built-in Wrong Answer Journal