Q18 - There is evidence to suggest

[Gabyn3]

Hello:

I am having trouble understanding why C is wrong. I like both C and D. Thanks!

[lwilliams25619]

I'm only guessing here but I think it's because the term aesthetic pertains to beauty and what is beautiful. Since the job is to weaken the argument, what would most weaken it? Everyday chores!

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

That's right lwilliams25619!

The key here is to understand our task. We're asked to undermine the conclusion that these polished flints represented some sort of aesthetic sense. An answer choice that would suggest that the polished flints represented something other than a sense for aesthetics would do the trick. Answer choice (D) suggests that the flints were polished, not for looks, but for utility. In other words, that the flints were polished in order to help them with their chores.

Let's look at the incorrect answer choices though...

(A) is irrelevant. We don't care about non-polished flints but rather what the polished ones represent.
(B) is close but not quite. This might address whether the cave-dwellers did or did not have an aesthetic sense. However, not having paintings, does not mean that the cave-dwellers did not have an aesthetic sense. More importantly, it misses the issue at hand as to what the flints represent.
(C) supports the conclusion that the cave-dwellers had an aesthetic sense because these flints were on display.
(E) supports the argument by suggesting that any doubts as to their aesthetic sense could be a result of our poor understanding.

Hope that helps!

[nflamel69]

This question is one of those that I wish I could argue with the LSAT makers. I don't think C is wrong, in fact, I think C is right. for example, cross is a religious symbol that's used in churches all the time, and it typically is in display, so does that mean it is on display for aesthetic reasons? I think not. I think C actually points to the fact that these arrows could be used for religious reasons. In addition, how can D be right. First of all, D only mentions flints, do we know what kind of flints? It could be the unpolished one. the stimulus says many of the flints are polished, so we could assume that some of them are polished. Can one of the tutors clarify this for me?

[joseph.m.kirby]

Reasons for eliminating answers (some previously mentioned):

(A) Incorrect. This answer is congruent with the premise, and therefore, does not weaken the conclusion.
(B) Incorrect. This answer takes focus away from the flints and puts it onto caves (that are unadorned by paintings). Perhaps the polished flints were put into the caves so as to make the caves more attractive.
(C) Incorrect. What makes this answer stand out as incorrect is the phrase "used for display." If the flints are polished because they are to be "used for display" as opposed to being for practical utility, then this arrangement would support that the flints are polished for aesthetic value.
(E) Incorrect. This answer doesn't necessarily weaken unless we make an additional (flawed) assumption that if we poorly understand the benefits that an aesthetic sense would have given, then it cannot be the case that early humans possessed an aesthetic sense.

Now for (D):

Original Argument-

These people polished SOME flints more than needed for hunting purposes; THEREFORE, these people have an aesthetic sense.

Implicit Assumption: there was no other reason for polishing the flints.

Given that this question is a weaken question, we want to attack that assumption.

(D) Correct. (D) tells us that flints were often used for everyday chores other than hunting (which thereby weakens the conclusion). Let's put (D) into the argument so as to check:

P: These people polished SOME flints more than needed for hunting purposes;
P: Flints were often used for everyday chores other than hunting.
THEREFORE, these people have an aesthetic sense.

(D) does in fact make the conclusion weaker, as it casts doubt that polished flints had no other utility except for being of contribution to an aesthetic sense.

[redcobra21]

I am still having a little trouble understanding why D is the correct answer here.

I agree with the earlier poster that you can view the argument as being: Some of the flints were polished more than necessary --> Early humans possessed an aesthetic sense. But since (D) simply states that "flints were often used for everyday chores other than hunting," how do you know that the answer choice encompasses the polished flints described in the premise? For example, if there were 100 total flints and 10 were highly polished and 90 were used for everyday chores but were not polished, couldn't the argument still reasonably say that these 10 highly polished flints show that early humans had an aesthetic sense without the 90 unpolished flints that were used for everyday chores weakening the conclusion? In other words, the flints that are being used for everyday chores are not the same flints that are being used to argue in favor of early humans possessing an aesthetic sense.

I also had a problem with (D) because even if we assume that the answer choice is limited to the polished flints mentioned in the argument, couldn't you still say that the flints were used for everyday chores but that it ALSO showed that early humans possessed an aesthetic sense? If I have an ornate broom stick or highly decorated mop, for example, I am using the utensil for a chore but I also have an aesthetic sense because I wanted the ornate tool as opposed to a plain vanilla one.

I think I'm just having a hard time with (D) since it says "flints" and is not limited to the "polished" flints that were brought up in the argument. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

[maryums.i]

Hi! I agree with redcobra21. I feel same way about answer choice (D) and the stim: the implication of "some" in the stim and the general reference to flint in answer choice (D) is why eliminated this choice. Is there anyway someone can explain this, so I may look out for this in the future?

Thanks in advance!

[pss3544]

I am still having a little trouble understanding why D is the correct answer here.

I agree with the earlier poster that you can view the argument as being: Some of the flints were polished more than necessary --> Early humans possessed an aesthetic sense. But since (D) simply states that "flints were often used for everyday chores other than hunting," how do you know that the answer choice encompasses the polished flints described in the premise? For example, if there were 100 total flints and 10 were highly polished and 90 were used for everyday chores but were not polished, couldn't the argument still reasonably say that these 10 highly polished flints show that early humans had an aesthetic sense without the 90 unpolished flints that were used for everyday chores weakening the conclusion? In other words, the flints that are being used for everyday chores are not the same flints that are being used to argue in favor of early humans possessing an aesthetic sense.

I also had a problem with (D) because even if we assume that the answer choice is limited to the polished flints mentioned in the argument, couldn't you still say that the flints were used for everyday chores but that it ALSO showed that early humans possessed an aesthetic sense? If I have an ornate broom stick or highly decorated mop, for example, I am using the utensil for a chore but I also have an aesthetic sense because I wanted the ornate tool as opposed to a plain vanilla one.

I think I'm just having a hard time with (D) since it says "flints" and is not limited to the "polished" flints that were brought up in the argument. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

I'm totally with you! This is the type of question I would like to categorize as "BS", aka epic fail of test makers trying too hard to be subtle and tricky; I would like to hear some convincing reasons for choosing D and for not choosing C though.

[amil91]

I am still having a little trouble understanding why D is the correct answer here.

I agree with the earlier poster that you can view the argument as being: Some of the flints were polished more than necessary --> Early humans possessed an aesthetic sense. But since (D) simply states that "flints were often used for everyday chores other than hunting," how do you know that the answer choice encompasses the polished flints described in the premise? For example, if there were 100 total flints and 10 were highly polished and 90 were used for everyday chores but were not polished, couldn't the argument still reasonably say that these 10 highly polished flints show that early humans had an aesthetic sense without the 90 unpolished flints that were used for everyday chores weakening the conclusion? In other words, the flints that are being used for everyday chores are not the same flints that are being used to argue in favor of early humans possessing an aesthetic sense.

I also had a problem with (D) because even if we assume that the answer choice is limited to the polished flints mentioned in the argument, couldn't you still say that the flints were used for everyday chores but that it ALSO showed that early humans possessed an aesthetic sense? If I have an ornate broom stick or highly decorated mop, for example, I am using the utensil for a chore but I also have an aesthetic sense because I wanted the ornate tool as opposed to a plain vanilla one.

I think I'm just having a hard time with (D) since it says "flints" and is not limited to the "polished" flints that were brought up in the argument. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

You are correct, you can still arrive at the conclusion with D being true, but that doesn't mean that D doesn't weaken the argument. Remember something can weaken an argument without destroying it.

Although I do agree with the person above that stated that the fact that something is displayed in religious ceremonies does not necessarily make it aesthetic. But I ultimately picked D because there is no assumption that needs to be made for it to weaken the argument. For C to weaken the argument you must assume that something can be displayed in a religious ceremony and not be aesthetic.

[laura.bach]

I would also appreciate further explanation for (D) for many of the same reasons: how do we know the flints in D are the polished flints, why does polishing them for chores make it less likely they're for aesthetic purposes (seems almost analogous for over-polishing them for hunting...), etc.

Thank you!