LSAT Explanation PT 43, S2, Q23: Toxicologist: Recent research has shown that
LSAT Question Stem
That dioxin causes cancer in rats figures in the argument in which one of the following ways?
Logical Reasoning Question Type
This is an Argument Part question.
Correct Answer
The correct answer to this question is D.
LSAT Question Complete Explanation
This LSAT problem is a Method of Reasoning - Argument Part question, which means we need to identify how a specific piece of information (in this case, that dioxin causes cancer in rats) is used in the argument. The main argument here is that the use of dioxin should be completely banned, even though similar research has not been conducted on humans.
Now let's analyze each answer choice:
Answer choice (A): The fact that dioxin causes cancer in rats is not presented as the hazard that the researcher is concerned with preventing. The researcher's main concern is preventing potential harm to humans, which is why they recommend a complete ban on dioxin. If the researcher was only concerned about preventing cancer in rats, the conclusion would be different.
Answer choice (B): This answer choice is incorrect because the fact that dioxin causes cancer in rats is presented as a potential harm, not a benefit, of not acting on the recommendation in the conclusion. The researcher uses this information to argue that dioxin should be banned to prevent potential harm to humans.
Answer choice (C): While it's possible that the fact that dioxin causes cancer in rats could be a reason why similar research will never be done on humans, the argument does not use this information in that way. The researcher's main goal is to argue for a complete ban on dioxin, not to prove anything about human research.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. The fact that dioxin causes cancer in rats is presented as a finding that motivates the course of action advocated in the conclusion, which is to completely ban the use of dioxin. The researcher implies that if dioxin causes cancer in rats, it may also cause cancer or be similarly harmful to humans or other species.
Answer choice (E): The argument does not present the fact that dioxin causes cancer in rats as evidence for the claim that similar research has never been done on humans. The researcher simply states that similar research has not been conducted, and we are expected to accept that claim without additional evidence. The researcher's main goal is to argue for a complete ban on dioxin, not to prove anything about human research.