LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following is a technique of reasoning used in the argument? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Method of Reasoning question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is B. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

First, let's break down the argument in the passage. The argument goes like this:

1. Some people claim that a drop in average yearly temperatures made Greenland too cold for human habitation, causing the Norse settlements to disappear (Premise).

2. However, Inuit settlers from North America continued to thrive in Greenland during and after the time of the Norse settlements (Premise).

3. Therefore, the claim that the temperature drop wiped out the Norse settlements cannot be correct (Conclusion).

Now, let's identify the question type and what it's asking us to do. This is a Method of Reasoning (MOR) question, which asks us to identify the technique of reasoning used in the argument.

Let's analyze each answer choice:

a) Denying the relevance of an analogy - The argument does not involve any analogies, so this answer choice is incorrect.

b) Producing evidence that is inconsistent with the claim being opposed - This is the correct answer. The argument presents the fact that Inuit settlers continued to thrive in Greenland as evidence that contradicts the claim that the temperature drop made the land uninhabitable for humans. If the Inuit settlers could survive, then the claim that the temperature drop wiped out the Norse settlements is inconsistent with this evidence.

c) Presenting an alternative explanation that purports to account for more of the known facts - The argument does not provide an alternative explanation for the disappearance of the Norse settlements; it only refutes the temperature drop claim. So, this answer choice is incorrect.

d) Citing a general rule that undermines the claim being opposed - The argument does not cite any general rules. Instead, it presents a specific example (the Inuit settlers) that contradicts the claim about the temperature drop. So, this answer choice is incorrect.

e) Redefining a term in a way that is favorable to the argument's conclusion - There is no redefinition of terms in the argument. The terms used are consistent throughout the passage. So, this answer choice is incorrect.

In conclusion, the correct answer is B, because the argument uses the evidence of the Inuit settlers' continued survival in Greenland to contradict the claim that the temperature drop made the land uninhabitable for humans.