LSAT Explanation PT 28, S1, Q2: If the government increases its funding

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Necessary Assumption question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is B. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

First, let's analyze the argument in the passage. The argument has the following structure:

Premise 1: If the government increases funding for civilian scientific research, private patrons and industries will believe that such research has become primarily the government's responsibility.

Premise 2: When private patrons and industries believe that research is no longer primarily their responsibility, they will decrease their contributions toward research.

Conclusion: To prevent depressing the overall level of funding for civilian scientific research, the government should not increase its own funding.

Now let's create an "Evaluate" question for this argument: "Would the decrease in private funding be greater than the increase in government funding?"

The question type for this problem is Necessary Assumption, which means we need to find the assumption on which the argument relies. Let's discuss each answer choice:

a) Governments should bear the majority of the financial burden of funding for civilian scientific research.

- This answer choice is not necessary for the argument. The argument is about the consequences of increased government funding, not about who should bear the majority of the financial burden.

b) Any increase in government funding would displace more private funding for civilian scientific research than it would provide.

- This is the correct answer. The argument assumes that the decrease in private funding would be greater than the increase in government funding, resulting in a net decrease in overall funding.

c) Private donations toward research are no longer welcomed by researchers whose work receives government funding.

- This answer choice is not necessary for the argument. The argument does not rely on whether researchers welcome private donations or not; it's about the potential decrease in private funding.

d) Civilian scientific research cannot be conducted efficiently with more than one source of funding.

- This answer choice is not necessary for the argument. The argument does not discuss the efficiency of research, but rather the overall level of funding from different sources.

e) Funding for civilian scientific research is currently at the highest possible level.

- This answer choice is not necessary for the argument. The argument does not rely on the current level of funding being at its highest possible level, but rather on the potential consequences of increased government funding.

In conclusion, the correct answer is B, as it addresses the assumption that the decrease in private funding would be greater than the increase in government funding, resulting in a net decrease in overall funding.