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Argument Completion Drill Question?

Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:32 pm
by LSAT_Padawan
Can someone explain how you come up with the conclusion "U"?

P: W or X ---> Y and Z
P: Not U ---> X
P: Not T
__________________________
C: U

Thank you for your enlightenment!

Re: Argument Completion Drill Question?

Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:39 pm
by FreeGuy
Here are a few sufficient assumptions for this argument:

Not Y
Not Z
Not X


Because:

Not U ---> X ---> Y and Z

so, the contrapositive is:

Not Y or Not Z ---> Not X ---> U


The Not T is irrelevant.
The W in the first premise is irrelevant.

Re: Argument Completion Drill Question?

Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:51 pm
by LSAT_Padawan
FreeGuy, thank you for your input. I understand your explanation and how you came to conclude "U" but how did you know that "W" and the 3rd premise "not T" were irrelevant? That's where I struggle because I'm trying to incorporate all the elements.

Re: Argument Completion Drill Question?

Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:55 pm
by FreeGuy
X is the only variable repeated in the premises.

It connects "Not U," "Y," and "Z" together.

"Not T" and "W" are not connected by X.

Sometimes, certain elements in the premises won't matter. Stimuli can contain useless info.