LSAT Explanation PT 25, S4, Q10: The Board of Trustees of the

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the argument? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Weaken question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is B. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

The argument in the passage is structured as follows:

Premise: The curator believes that several immature works by Renoir and Cézanne are of inferior quality and should be sold.

Conclusion: Selling these works will not detract from the quality of the museum's collection.

To better understand this argument, let's consider a simple example. Imagine a library with a collection of books, some of which are worn out and damaged. The librarian believes that removing these damaged books will not affect the overall quality of the library's collection. This is similar to the curator's belief that selling the inferior quality paintings will not affect the overall quality of the museum's collection.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be: "Do the immature works by Renoir and Cézanne contribute to the overall quality of the museum's collection in any other way besides their individual quality?"

Now let's analyze each answer choice:

a) This answer choice discusses alternative ways of raising funds for refurbishing the museum, but it does not address the impact of selling the immature works on the overall quality of the museum's collection. Therefore, it does not weaken the argument.

b) This answer choice weakens the argument by suggesting that the quality of an art collection is determined not just by the individual quality of its paintings, but also by what the collection demonstrates about the development of the artists' talent and ideas. If this is true, then selling the immature works could detract from the overall quality of the museum's collection by removing evidence of the artists' development. This is the correct answer.

c) This answer choice tells us that some critics thought the immature works were unimportant when they were purchased, but it does not address whether selling these works would detract from the overall quality of the museum's collection. Therefore, it does not weaken the argument.

d) This answer choice discusses the opinions of art speculators and museum curators regarding inflation in the art market, but it does not address the impact of selling the immature works on the overall quality of the museum's collection. Therefore, it does not weaken the argument.

e) This answer choice compares the prices of the best and worst works of a great artist in the art market, but it does not address the impact of selling the immature works on the overall quality of the museum's collection. Therefore, it does not weaken the argument.

In conclusion, answer choice B is the correct answer because it weakens the argument by suggesting that the immature works by Renoir and Cézanne could contribute to the overall quality of the museum's collection in a way other than their individual quality, specifically by demonstrating the development of the artists' talent and ideas.