LSAT 153 – Section 2 – Question 14

LSAT 153 - Section 2 - Question 14

June 2019

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT153 S2 Q14
+LR
Main conclusion or main point +MC
A
0%
B
5%
152
C
1%
146
D
87%
162
E
7%
157
128
139
150
 +Easier 146.684 +SubsectionMedium

Biologists are mistaken in thinking that the fossil record provides direct evidence of the course of human evolution. Fossils cannot be interpreted objectively: the physical characteristics by which they are classified invariably reflect the models the paleontologists wish to test. For example, classifying a pelvis as human because it supported an upright posture requires taking for granted that bipedalism distinguished early hominids from apes.

Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
The author concludes that biologists are wrong when they think that the fossil record provides direct evidence of the course of human evolution. In other words, the fossil record does not provide direct evidence of the course of human evolution. This conclusion is based on the subsidiary conclusion that fossils can’t be interpreted objectively. As an example supporting this subsidiary conclusion, the author points out that classifying a pelvis fossil as human based on its upright posture requires assuming that apes didn’t have an upright posture.

Identify Conclusion
The conclusion is that the biologists are wrong: “Biologists are mistaken in thinking that the fossil record provides direct evidence of the course of human evolution.”

A
No early apes had pelvises that would support an upright posture.
The author doesn’t necessarily agree with this. This is an assumption the author believes we make when classifying a pelvis as human based on its upright posture. But the author suggests this assumption might be wrong; it’s not an objective interpretation.
B
The claims made by evolutionary theorists cannot be objectively tested.
The author never stated this. Although we can infer the author would agree with this statement, he never actually stated this.
C
The fossil remains of some early hominids are difficult to distinguish from those of apes.
The author never stated this. The author never comments on the difficulty of distinguishing early hominid fossils from ape fossils. Although the author indicates that distinguishing between the two involves subjective interpretation, that’s not a comment on difficulty.
D
The fossil record does not directly reveal the course of human evolution.
This is a paraphrase of the claim that biologists are mistaken in thinking that the fossil record provides direct evidence of the course of human revolution.
E
Paleontologists’ classifications of fossils are always influenced by the theories that these scientists are testing.
This is part of the author’s support. Because paleontologists’ interpretations reflect the models they want to test, the author concludes that the fossil record does not provide direct evidence of the course of human evolution.

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LSAT PrepTest 153 Explanations

Section 1 - Reading Comprehension

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Reading Comprehension

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