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Apr 2808:00 AM PDT
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11 Oct 2021, 06:00
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E
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
15%
(low)
Question Stats:
85% (01:52) correct
15%
(01:52)
wrong
based on 241
sessions
History
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Scientists have shown that older bees, which usually forage outside the hive for food, tend to have larger brains than do younger bees, which usually do not forage but instead remain in the hive to tend to newly hatched bees. Since foraging requires greater cognitive ability than does tending to newly hatched bees, it appears that foraging leads to the increased brain size of older bees.
Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above?
(A) Bees that have foraged for a long time do not have significantly larger brains than do bees that have foraged for a shorter time.
(B) The brains of older bees that stop foraging to take on other responsibilities do not become smaller after they stop foraging.
(C) Those bees that travel a long distance to find food do not have significantly larger brains than do bees that locate food nearer the hive.
(D) In some species of bees, the brains of older bees are only marginally larger than those of younger bees.
(E) The brains of older bees that never learn to forage are the same size as those of their foraging counterparts of the same age.
Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above?
(A) Bees that have foraged for a long time do not have significantly larger brains than do bees that have foraged for a shorter time.
(B) The brains of older bees that stop foraging to take on other responsibilities do not become smaller after they stop foraging.
(C) Those bees that travel a long distance to find food do not have significantly larger brains than do bees that locate food nearer the hive.
(D) In some species of bees, the brains of older bees are only marginally larger than those of younger bees.
(E) The brains of older bees that never learn to forage are the same size as those of their foraging counterparts of the same age.
16 Oct 2021, 06:00
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Bunuel
EXPLANATION FROM Fox LSAT
This is a correlation-therefore-causation argument. Older bees have bigger brains and forage, younger bees have smaller brains and do not forage, therefore foraging causes a bigger brain. My first objection to this logic is this: How do you know that having a bigger brain doesn’t cause one to say ‘hanging out in the hive sucks, I am going to go forage’? (The reversal of cause and effect.) We’re asked to weaken the argument, and because the reversal of cause and effect seems every bit as possible as the argument’s hypothesis, this is my prediction.
A) I suppose this could be the answer, because it suggests that foraging for longer does not make your brain bigger, but I don’t think this totally destroys the argument. My retort to this weakener would be, “Foraging immediately makes your brain the maximum size,” or something like that. This will be the answer only if everything else sucks.
B) Meh, the concept of brains shrinking is way too far removed from the matter at hand. I don’t think this can possibly be it.
C) I don’t think the distance traveled while foraging can be relevant.
D) This one is very weak because “some species” means that it might only apply to certain isolated/rare species of bees. I don’t think so.
E) Mhmm. This one says age is what causes brains to grow, not foraging. If this is true, then the idea that foraging causes bigger brains seems totally ridiculous.
It’s not what I predicted, but it’s a great weakener. Better than A.
Our answer is E
General Discussion
11 Oct 2021, 06:22
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A) The author states that foraging leads to a greater brain size, not that foraging will lead to the continued growth of the brain. For this reason this choice does not seem to weaken the argument. Incorrect
B) The author never mentions anything about act and length of foraging directly correlating to the size of the brain, merely that foraging bees have bigger brains. Irrelevant. Incorrect
C) The author never correlated time or distance of foraging impacting the size of the brain. Incorrect
D) Some species? The species of bee is irrelevant to the argument.
Marginally? By which measurement and in relation to what?
Irrelevant. Incorrect
E) This shows that foraging does not seem to impact the size of the brain at all. Correct
Answer E
B) The author never mentions anything about act and length of foraging directly correlating to the size of the brain, merely that foraging bees have bigger brains. Irrelevant. Incorrect
C) The author never correlated time or distance of foraging impacting the size of the brain. Incorrect
D) Some species? The species of bee is irrelevant to the argument.
Marginally? By which measurement and in relation to what?
Irrelevant. Incorrect
E) This shows that foraging does not seem to impact the size of the brain at all. Correct
Answer E
