some and most

cynthia.wu82

/Q-->/D D-->W in the 7sage lesson, the teacher said /Q-->/D and /W-->/D, thus, there's no inference made. However, isn't we also can do it like D-->Q and D-->W, thus, some Q are W?

nessa.k13.0

It depends on if there is some or most in front of D ---->Q and D ---->W. If you say mostD--->Q and most D---->W then some Q---->W would be a valid inference. If you say some D---->Q and some D---->W then you cannot draw a valid inference between Q and W.

BinghamtonDave

In order to better assist you, can you please reference the exact lesson that you are asking about? I would need to take a closer look.

Thank you
David

cynthia.wu82

I should say the D-->Q and D-->W are contrapositive of /Q-->/D and /W-->/D, and although /Q-->/D and /W-->/D, we cannot make any inference. However, their contrapositives are sharing the same element of D, all Ds are Q, and All Ds are W, thus, we can infer that there are some Ws are Q.

J.Y. Ping

On the LSAT, there have appeared questions where the stimulus tells you something like all the attendees at the conference are diplomats. Then the question asks you what can be inferred. You can infer some attendees at the conference are diplomats or that most are. You can also infer that non-diplomats were not attendees.

Depending on what lesson you're referring to, I could have considered the above inferences "trivial" and maybe that's why I said no inferences could be made.

cynthia.wu82

Thank you teacher. It's my honor to get your reply. I was just wondering, because I am not sure weather my understanding is right. So I posted this question.