An example in this post is from a live class so it MAY BE A SPOILER****

Hi! I am continuously running into issues with conclusions regarding sufficiency and necessity. I completely understand the structure of Lawgic, and I can chain conditionals with no issues using Lawgic, my issue is when sufficiency and necessity lead to a conclusion, and I cannot conclude the argument is valid or draw a conclusion. I can write it out correctly, I just don't understand what it really means..

Example:

Exercise 2: Evaluating Argument Validity

Is the following argument valid?

The vote to grant Chancellor Palpatine emergency powers will not pass if Senator Amidala delivers her speech. Amidala cannot deliver her speech unless the attempt to assassinate her fails. Her assassins planted a bomb on her starship but unbeknownst to them, she was not on the ship when the explosive detonated. Therefore, the vote to grant the Chancellor emergency powers will not pass.

The argument is not valid because of the Lawgic: (I have the structure down)

SAS → /P

SAS → AAF

AAF

/P

Where I am getting confused is the explanation that is provided: "Satisfying a necessary condition yields no valid conclusions." So when can we yield a valid conclusion?? What condition should I be looking at to conclude whether an argument is valid or not?

Another example:

Biologist: We know the following things about plant X. Specimens with fuzzy seeds always have long stems but never have white flowers. Specimens with curled leaves always have white flowers, and specimens with thorny seedpods always have curled leaves. A specimen of plant X in my garden has a long stem and curled leaves.

Q: From the biologist's statements, which one of the following can be properly inferred about the specimen of plant X in the biologist's garden?

I have all of the Lawgic correctly written down:

fuzzy seeds-> long stems

fuzzy seeds -> /white flowers

curled -> white flowers

thorny seedpods -> curled leaves

x has a long stem and curled leaves

The answer: it has white flowers but lacks fuzzy seeds.

HOW??

I understand it has white flowers, but how is it not "It has white flowers and thorny seedpods."

Is it because if there are curled leaves, then there are white flowers (curled leaves -> white flowers), the fact that having curled leaves is in the sufficient means that white flowers has to follow?

And thorny-> curled means nothing because curled is not in the sufficient?

If something is satisfied in the necessary, you can't conclude anything from that?

I have literally spent HOURS trying to understand this (and understanding other examples further down LR). I don't want to move past chaining conditionals until I can completely understand this, so I'm stuck in my studying. I'm actually struggling so hard. Also is it clear what I'm getting confused on... ?? I can re-edit if this is too all over the place sorry :(

Hey guys. I'm enrolled to take the April LSAT, and am consistently scoring 168-169 on prep tests. I can't seem to break into the 170s and do not see any particular patterns in questions I'm missing. Sometimes I'll get -1 and -3 on LR, sometimes -3 and -6. Reading comp I miss about 4. There have been a few cases where I've simply been rushed for time and misread a question, but my results just feel inconsistent so I don't know where to focus my energy. If anyone has any advice please let me know!

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