Scientist: Studies show that a sharp decrease in the bird population on a nearby island coincided with the first arrival of cruise ships to that island. So it is clear in this case that the arrival of cruise ships caused the sharp decrease in the bird population.
The reasoning in the scientist’s argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument
A. Presumes, without providing justification, that a sharp decrease in the bird population is detrimental
B. Draws a general conclusion based on a sample that is likely to be unrepresentative
C. Inappropriately generalizes from facts about a specific period of time to a universal claim
D. Infers, merely from a claim that two events are associated, that one event causes the other
E. Takes for granted that the method used for gathering the data was reliable
Answer
CORRECT ANSWER = (D)
EXPLANATION: Causal flaw. Correlation does not equal causation.
Want to receive daily LSAT practice delivered right into your inbox? Sign up here for our LSAT Question of the Day emails!
Related Post
Search the Blog
Free LSAT Practice Account
Sign up for a free Blueprint LSAT account and get access to a free trial of the Self-Paced Course and a free practice LSAT with a detailed score report, mind-blowing analytics, and explanatory videos.
Learn More
Popular Posts
-
-
-
-
General LSAT Advice How to Get a 180 on the LSAT -
Entertainment Revisiting Elle's LSAT Journey from Legally Blonde