LSAT 117 – Section 2 – Question 06

LSAT 117 - Section 2 - Question 06

October 2004

You need a full course to see this video. Enroll now and get started in less than a minute.

Target time: 0:58

This is question data from the 7Sage LSAT Scorer. You can score your LSATs, track your results, and analyze your performance with pretty charts and vital statistics - all with a Free Account ← sign up in less than 10 seconds

Question QuickView	Type	Tags	Answer Choices	Curve	Question Difficulty	Psg/Game/S Difficulty	Explanation
PT117 S2 Q06	+LR	Point at issue: disagree +Disagr Value Judgment +ValJudg	A 5% 156 B 94% 162 C 0% 152 D 1% 154 E 0% 152	120 131 142	+Easiest	146.765 +SubsectionMedium

Chai: The use of the word “tree” to denote both deciduous and coniferous plant forms, while acceptable as a lay term, is scientifically inadequate; it masks the fact that the two plant types have utterly different lineages.

Dodd: But the common name highlights the crucial fact that both are composed of the same material and have very similar structures; so it is acceptable as a scientific term.

Speaker 1 Summary

Chai claims that using the term “tree” to include both coniferous and deciduous plants isn’t sufficient for scientific use, even though it’s fine for day-to-day conversations. Why? Because the common term obscures the different origins of coniferous and deciduous plants.

Speaker 2 Summary

Dodd argues that using “tree” to mean both coniferous and deciduous plants is scientifically acceptable. Why? Because using the same term for both highlights their similarities in structure and material makeup.

Objective

We want to find something that Chai and Dodd disagree about. They disagree over whether it’s scientifically acceptable to include both coniferous and deciduous plants in the term “tree”.

it is advisable to use ordinary terms as names for biological forms in scientific discourse

Neither speaker makes this argument. Chai and Dodd are only talking about whether the specific term “tree” is scientifically acceptable, and neither comments on whether there’s a general rule about using ordinary names in science.

using the same term for two biological forms with different lineages can be scientifically acceptable

Chai disagrees with this, but Dodd agrees: this is the point of disagreement. Chai claims that “tree” is a scientifically unacceptable term specifically because it includes plants with different lineages. Dodd argues that it’s acceptable regardless.

both deciduous and coniferous plant forms evolved from simpler biological forms

Neither speaker directly makes this claim. Chai’s reference to “lineages” does imply that Chai agrees, though—but there’s no reason to think that Dodd would disagree.

it is important that the lay terms for plant forms reflect the current scientific theories about them

Neither speaker discusses this idea. Neither Chai nor Dodd talks about what goals lay terminology should accomplish, or whether or not those goals are related to science.

biological forms with similar structures can have different lineages

Both speakers likely agree with this. Although Chai doesn’t directly talk about structures, and Dodd doesn’t discuss lineages, neither one disputes the other’s factual claims about trees. This means they likely agree that trees have similar structures but different lineages.

LSAT 117 – Section 2 – Question 06

LSAT 117 - Section 2 - Question 06

You need a full course to see this video. Enroll now and get started in less than a minute.

Take PrepTest

Review Results

LSAT PrepTest 117 Explanations

Section 1 - Reading Comprehension

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

Leave a Reply Cancel