Bunuel
Philosopher: No person who adheres to the doctrines of Michel Foucault can fully accept the post-structuralist theories of Jacques Lacan, and full acceptance of Lacan's theories is necessary for understanding deconstructionist philosophy. It follows that any person who does not understand deconstructionist philosophy adheres to the doctrines of Foucault.
The pattern of logic displayed in the philosopher's argument above is most similar to that displayed by which of the following arguments?
A. Every baseball player whose natural position is right fielder lacks exceptional running speed, and exceptional running speed is required to become a great base-stealer. It follows that the natural position of any baseball player who is not a great base-stealer is right fielder.
B. Any existentialist that does not follow the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche must believe in the Christian existentialism espoused by Soren Kierkegaard, and a belief in Kierkegaardian existentialism is necessary for an existentialist to reconcile his life with his work as a philosopher. It follows that any existentialist philosopher who cannot reconcile his life with his work does not follow the philosophy of Nietzsche.
C. No performer who sings off-key or off-tempo will be selected for a leading role in a Broadway musical, and selection for a leading role in a Broadway musical invariably leads to stardom. It follows that any performer who has achieved stardom does not sing off-key or off-tempo.
D. Not all employees of the U.S. Postal Service work outside, and working outside is essential for a person to develop a sunny disposition. It follows that any person who has developed a sunny disposition is not an employee of the U.S. Postal Service.
E. No poet who excels in writing lyric poetry also writes extraordinary blank verse, and writing extraordinary blank verse is necessary for a poet to be named poet laureate. It follows that any poet who excels in writing lyric poetry will not be named poet laureate.
Princeton Review Official ExplanationConclusion: It follows that any person who does not understand deconstructionist philosophy adheres to the doctrines of Foucault.
Premise: No person who adheres to the doctrines of Michel Foucault can fully accept the post-structuralist theories of Jacques Lacan, and full acceptance of Lacan's theories is necessary for understanding deconstructionist philosophy.
This is an ID the Reasoning question, as evidenced by the phrase The pattern of logic...is most similar to that displayed by which of the following arguments. The passage uses the premises No person who adheres to the doctrines of Michel Foucault can fully accept the post-structuralist theories of Jacques Lacan, and full acceptance of Lacan's theories is necessary for understanding deconstructionist philosophy to conclude erroneously that any person who does not understand deconstructionist philosophy adheres to the doctrines of Foucault.
The argument contains a causality reasoning pattern. Translate the argument into variables to apply the logic to each answer choice. The passage is structured to state that no F can be L and every D is an L, so one who is not a D must be an F. Evaluate the answer choices, looking for one that reflects this idea.
Choice A: Correct. Translated into variables, this choice states that no RF can be RS and every BS is RS, so one who is not BS must be an RF, which matches the structure of the philosopher’s argument.
Choice B: No. This choice describes something the argument did not do. Translated into variables, this choice states that anyone who is not an FN must be an SK, and anyone who can reconcile his L & W is an SK, so one who cannot reconcile his L & W cannot be an FN.
Choice C: No. This choice describes something the argument did not do. Translated into variables, this choice states that no OK or OT will be LR, and LR will be S, so any S is not OK or OT.
Choice D: No. This choice describes something the argument did not do. Translated into variables, this choice states that not all PS work O, and all SD work O, so no SD is a PS.
Choice E: No. This choice describes something the argument did not do. Translated into variables, this choice states that no LP is BV, and all PL are BV, so no LP will be PL.
The correct answer is choice A.