If I understand it correctly, just because an answer has "only if" does not disqualify it from being a correct answer, just if it is used in an answer that clearly makes the sufficiency-necessity confusion mistake ('the oldest mistake in the book') like in the previous 'you try.' In this question, "only if" is perfectly fine and the correct answer because if you contrapose the rule, it perfectly aligns with our premise-conclusion bridge.
So I think be wary of "only if" because it seems like a common trap answer the LSAT writers will use, but not always.
Only if is not inherently a common trap answer choice. Only if indicates a necessary condition (right side of the arrow). So, when you're looking for a sufficient condition (left side of the arrow) and you see the wording you need, but it's coming after only if, then it's a trap answer.
But don't internalize that only if it indicates a trap answer, only that only if indicates a necessary condition.
Agree with chipw207, and I wanted to add that I think JY makes these quick decisions about "only if"s because he's looking for where the conclusion falls in the sufficient / necessary conditions. So with this question, in answer choice C, the contrapositive of our conclusion fell in the sufficient condition. That's great! It likely means that the contrapositive of the necessary condition is a trigger for us. And that's exactly what happens - we take the contrapositive and arrive at our conclusion.
BUT if answer choice C said "Use of pesticides is unacceptable only if..." then we can disqualify this answer because our conclusion is in the sufficiency, and if we took a contrapositive, it would only get us to "use of pesticides is acceptable" which isn't our conclusion anyway.
The explanations for a lot of these AC's are so contradictory from question to question. JY is so cavalier in dismissing an AC for seemingly obvious reasons and then the very next question will justify an answer similar to the one he just dismissed previously. At this point Im about ready to take a bat to my computer.
@emilydermo393 Glad to know I wasnt the only one, especially after getting 4 in a row correct before this one. I missed all the others after this but the last one.
A video explaining the difference between the use of “only if” in this lesson vs. the last lesson would be helpful for future audiences. The last video made it seem like anytime we see an “only if”, we should throw that answer out in a PSA question. The explanations should be more careful so as not to unintentionally make us think there is a solve-all rule.
Thanks for your feedback! It's important to us that our explanations are easy to understand, so I shared this with the team. Your thoughts help us make our lessons better for everyone—feel free to let me know if you have any further suggestions.
Crossed off C because where the hell did its "intended purpose" come from? The right answer can just add on another variable that hasn't been mentioned before?
As long as no part of the answer contradicts any part of the stim AND is the best or contains the best answer then it can be a right answer for a strengthen question.
I will admit it was a red flag an made me spend way more time looking for another answer that didn't add an irrelevant variable to the mix.
literally the last lesson JY warned us about choosing rules with "only if" statements so I immediately crossed those out, and now it turns out to be the correct answer??? feels like a mindf*ck 😭
it's bc of the contrapositive. you have to take "only if" into the context of being a contrapositive statement; it's not always right or wrong just because of the words itself
I have the same issue. The previous video got me confused because I knew some correct answer choices in SA use necessary indicators. It is a little odd how he didn't mention there were exceptions in the previous video.
idk why he does that. It's so frustrating, but he means just for that question. Even when he says "blank will never be right" he means for that question type/specific question and stimulus.
I know what you mean, it was super duper confusing for me too. I got it wrong as well but going back and reviewing I see why. Please correct me if I am wrong!
So "only If" introduces necessary conditions, and valid argument form 2 is the following
A - >B
/B
-----
/A
in this answer it said that that use of pesticide is acceptable ONLY IF (introducing necessary condition) its used for intended purpose AND does not harm any portion. To write it as our valid argument form it goes like this:
acceptable(A) - > /harm (B)
harmful
-------------------------------------
/acceptable
therefore the argument is valid. Someone else also mentioned in the comment that if answer C had started with "not acceptable" then it would be mixing necessary condition with sufficient. Because "not acceptable" is the original form not contraposed. This does not do that because it is just taking the contrapositive of the original argument form.
original not contraposed: harmful - > /acceptable
answer choice C contrapositive of Original : acceptable - > /harmful
It doesn't even matter that first part because we have a->b&c. If c is that it doesn't harm any portion of the population, then it doesn't matter what b is because c is already false. And if c is necessary for a (that it is acceptable to use) to occur, and c does not occur, then a cannot occur.
For those of you that are thrown off by the use of "only if", I hear you! There are definitely times to be scared of such language.
But for the case of justifying someone's reasoning, "only if" is a great way to preclude any other possibilities as long as everything else matches up with the framework set in the stimulus.
136 comments
note to self, even if a word says "only if" don't immediately cross it off. Read that question and see if its applicable to the stimulus.
real
I got my peaches out in Georgia.
J.Y last lesson: "only if"? no. definitely wrong. stop reading
J.Y this lesson: "only if"? perfect. correct answer. spot on
#feedback is JY able to respond to this so we can have some clarity?
If I understand it correctly, just because an answer has "only if" does not disqualify it from being a correct answer, just if it is used in an answer that clearly makes the sufficiency-necessity confusion mistake ('the oldest mistake in the book') like in the previous 'you try.' In this question, "only if" is perfectly fine and the correct answer because if you contrapose the rule, it perfectly aligns with our premise-conclusion bridge.
So I think be wary of "only if" because it seems like a common trap answer the LSAT writers will use, but not always.
Only if is not inherently a common trap answer choice. Only if indicates a necessary condition (right side of the arrow). So, when you're looking for a sufficient condition (left side of the arrow) and you see the wording you need, but it's coming after only if, then it's a trap answer.
But don't internalize that only if it indicates a trap answer, only that only if indicates a necessary condition.
Hope this helps
Agree with chipw207, and I wanted to add that I think JY makes these quick decisions about "only if"s because he's looking for where the conclusion falls in the sufficient / necessary conditions. So with this question, in answer choice C, the contrapositive of our conclusion fell in the sufficient condition. That's great! It likely means that the contrapositive of the necessary condition is a trigger for us. And that's exactly what happens - we take the contrapositive and arrive at our conclusion.
BUT if answer choice C said "Use of pesticides is unacceptable only if..." then we can disqualify this answer because our conclusion is in the sufficiency, and if we took a contrapositive, it would only get us to "use of pesticides is acceptable" which isn't our conclusion anyway.
The explanations for a lot of these AC's are so contradictory from question to question. JY is so cavalier in dismissing an AC for seemingly obvious reasons and then the very next question will justify an answer similar to the one he just dismissed previously. At this point Im about ready to take a bat to my computer.
Honestly, at this point, his explanations are starting to hinder my progress. They're consistently inconsistent!
#feedback- why tell us to avoid "only if"/NCs in answers and then place this one right after? lol time to backtrack
Got 4 wrong in a row....
Stay strong
@emilydermo393 Glad to know I wasnt the only one, especially after getting 4 in a row correct before this one. I missed all the others after this but the last one.
A video explaining the difference between the use of “only if” in this lesson vs. the last lesson would be helpful for future audiences. The last video made it seem like anytime we see an “only if”, we should throw that answer out in a PSA question. The explanations should be more careful so as not to unintentionally make us think there is a solve-all rule.
Hey there,
Thanks for your feedback! It's important to us that our explanations are easy to understand, so I shared this with the team. Your thoughts help us make our lessons better for everyone—feel free to let me know if you have any further suggestions.
I THOUGHT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO IGNORE THE ONLY IFS JYYYYY
LOL okay im glad im not the only one who thought this
I got so turned off by C because it included that irrelevant part about pesticides intended purpose...
Crossed off C because where the hell did its "intended purpose" come from? The right answer can just add on another variable that hasn't been mentioned before?
As long as no part of the answer contradicts any part of the stim AND is the best or contains the best answer then it can be a right answer for a strengthen question.
I will admit it was a red flag an made me spend way more time looking for another answer that didn't add an irrelevant variable to the mix.
The explanation for why C is right contradicts what he said in the last drill for why an answer is wrong.
I skipped C when I saw "only" because of what he said last time...
Same! I originally had C and then changed my answer when I saw the words "only if"...
Same!
same! I am so confused and I am still not understanding #help
I was going to pick C but then got scared of the "only if" because of the last lesson but I should've trusted that it made more sense.
literally the last lesson JY warned us about choosing rules with "only if" statements so I immediately crossed those out, and now it turns out to be the correct answer??? feels like a mindf*ck 😭
glad im not the only one. C made sense but ignored it because of the "only if" :(((((
This is why I had to buy The Loophole!
I thought we were told if "only" was an answer choice that this was not the correct answer.
it's bc of the contrapositive. you have to take "only if" into the context of being a contrapositive statement; it's not always right or wrong just because of the words itself
I have the same issue. The previous video got me confused because I knew some correct answer choices in SA use necessary indicators. It is a little odd how he didn't mention there were exceptions in the previous video.
idk why he does that. It's so frustrating, but he means just for that question. Even when he says "blank will never be right" he means for that question type/specific question and stimulus.
I agree, I also did not choose the correct answer because of the "only if."
I know what you mean, it was super duper confusing for me too. I got it wrong as well but going back and reviewing I see why. Please correct me if I am wrong!
So "only If" introduces necessary conditions, and valid argument form 2 is the following
A - >B
/B
-----
/A
in this answer it said that that use of pesticide is acceptable ONLY IF (introducing necessary condition) its used for intended purpose AND does not harm any portion. To write it as our valid argument form it goes like this:
acceptable(A) - > /harm (B)
harmful
-------------------------------------
/acceptable
therefore the argument is valid. Someone else also mentioned in the comment that if answer C had started with "not acceptable" then it would be mixing necessary condition with sufficient. Because "not acceptable" is the original form not contraposed. This does not do that because it is just taking the contrapositive of the original argument form.
original not contraposed: harmful - > /acceptable
answer choice C contrapositive of Original : acceptable - > /harmful
@naziadurani878 Thank you for your explanation! It made a lot more sense than the explanation in the video.
REMEMBER: correct answer choice logical force should match with conclusion's logical force (TMD is not acceptable)
NAH COZ I ATE THAT UP
It was so obviously C and then I got in my own head cuz of "only if" being a necessary indicator gtfo
Same! I got it right on my initial try but then wayyyyy over thought it on the blind review.
I did the same thing don't worry. I guess this is a sign to not completely throw away an answer because it uses "only if"
DMT for the children!
I feel like we were all set up with the easiest PSA questions in the beginning to only be humbled by the last 4..
This makes sense... I just have no clue how this was supposed to be done in 1:23
I knowww, I felt so good about my PSA abilities and then these questions entered the picture.
this section has been beating my ass constantly i feel like a dead horse
@mostxareyallyarezthusmostxarez seriously
ahhhh this one was tricky! I chose E :/
The "used for its intended purpose" tripped me up because I didn't think it fit since it wasn't explicitly mentioned in the paragraph. :((((((
It doesn't even matter that first part because we have a->b&c. If c is that it doesn't harm any portion of the population, then it doesn't matter what b is because c is already false. And if c is necessary for a (that it is acceptable to use) to occur, and c does not occur, then a cannot occur.
For those of you that are thrown off by the use of "only if", I hear you! There are definitely times to be scared of such language.
But for the case of justifying someone's reasoning, "only if" is a great way to preclude any other possibilities as long as everything else matches up with the framework set in the stimulus.
thank you, i needed to hear this :)
We use DMT instead of TMD ahaha the contrapositive of the Gods
Pull that up, Jaime
LMAO
i'm so frustrated with this lesson, I have been getting every question wrong. I literally want to cry.
same.
I relate so0 much I literally wanna throw up 🥲. I hope it got better for you
same! I feel like I'm mapping out the stimulus correctly and understanding what I'm reading but then continue choosing the wrong answer.