Self-study
For those of you on the PT 55 BR call -- sorry it took me so long to get this up, but below are my notes on Principle questions and subtypes. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions! Hope this helps.
Principle/SA Questions and Subtypes
Sufficient Assumption, Pseudo Sufficient Assumption, Conform to the Principle, and Principle Example are all closely interlinked question types. (And are also closely related to Strengthen questions). However, there are specific tasks demanded by each. The below descriptions are a loose guide to how each of these questions function on the LSAT.
1. Sufficient Assumption
-Supply additional premises/assumptions to make the argument valid. Will directly link up with some premise/assumption in the argument to make the argument “airtight.” The correct answer must always enable us to reach the conclusion given in the stimulus.
Question stem: “Which one of the following, if true, enables the economist’s conclusion to be properly drawn?”
Specific ——> Specific
Stimulus (specific situation):
Jamal will not go to the store if Greg buys apples today and the canned soup isn’t expired. The canned soup isn’t expired. Therefore, Jamal will not go to the store today.
Answer choice (specific premise):
At some point today, Greg will buy apples.
2. Pseudo Sufficient Assumption
-Typically given a concrete situation and are asked to supply a “blanket” principle that would allow the conclusion to be properly drawn (although maybe not as airtight as with SA)
-Sometimes, albeit rarely, PSA questions are more like a strengthen/PSA hybrid — we are asked to supply a blanket principle that “most strongly supports”
-As with sufficient assumption questions, the answer choice may be more expansive than it needs to be in order to properly arrive at the conclusion.
Question stem: “Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning above?”
Specific ——-> Abstract
Stimulus (specific situation):
Sally knew that John wanted the last slice of cake, but she ate it anyway. Therefore, Sally’s action was morally wrong.
Answer choice (abstract principle):
A human action is morally wrong if that action denies any person of a desire that could have been fulfilled had the action not been taken.
3. Conform to the Principle
-Given specific situation in the stimulus and must choose a correct answer that states an abstract principle the information in the stimulus matches.
-Very similar to Parallel Reasoning question — you are given a situation and must “match” that situation to the abstract thinking that underlies its reasoning
-More so than with PSA questions, it’s very important for every element of the correct answer to be descriptively accurate. Why? With PSA/SA questions, you are trying to get to the conclusion by any means necessary — this means that they could, in theory, give you a correct answer choice that is way more generous than necessary to arrive at the conclusion. But in Conform to the Principle questions, you are trying to sketch out the speaker’s reasoning in exact, even if abstract, terms. Extraneous information that doesn’t match the speaker’s specific reasoning in the stimulus should be approached with caution.
-PT52, Section 3, Question 11 provides an apt example of this. Answer choice D) provides enough information to arrive at the conclusion set forth in the argument. However, it is incorrect because it does not do so by using the premises the speaker uses in her reasoning. Therefore, answer choice B) is a far more appealing answer choice.
Question stem: “The reasoning above most closely conforms to which one of the following principles?”
Specific ——> Abstract
Stimulus (specific situation):
Controlled burning of forests in the area may be beneficial for rejuvenating the soil and lessening the impact of natural fires. However, we still don’t know the consequences controlled burning might have on the wildlife in the area. Since we have an obligation to protect the wildlife in the area at all costs, we should not implement controlled burning at this time.
Answer (abstract principle):
If it is not known how a proposed action might effect something one is obligated to protect, then that course of action is impermissible.
4. Apply the Principle
-Given an abstract principle and must choose a correct answer choice that is a specific example of that principle
-This is basically an application of the principle — you must follow the conditional logic and/or reasoning of the principle exactly (again, similar to parallel reasoning questions in this regard).
Abstract —-> Specific
Question stem: “Of the following, which one most closely conforms to the principle that the passage illustrates?”
Stimulus (abstract principle):
A person is morally right only if their intentions are good and they do no harm.
Answer choice (specific situation):
Clarissa told Murat that his paper on the War of 1812 was factually inaccurate because she intended to help him improve the paper and receive a better grade. Despite these good intentions, Murat was hurt by her critique. Therefore, it cannot be said that Clarissa’s actions were morally right.
5. Violate the Principle
-Given an abstract principle and must choose a correct answer choice that is a specific violation of that principle (most often, violates the conditional logic given in the principle)
-Very important to know how to violate/contradict a conditional statement
Abstract ——-> Specific
Question stem: “Which one of the following actions most clearly violates the principle stated?”
Stimulus (abstract principle):
One should never lie to another person unless one thinks that doing so would be in the interest of that other person.
Answer choice (specific violation):
Carlos lied when he told Alex that he couldn’t come to his birthday party because he had to work that evening. However, Carlos had no opinion on whether this lie would advantageous to Alex; he simply lied because he needed an excuse.
