LSAT Explanation PT 33, S1, Q20: Recently discovered prehistoric rock paintings on

LSAT Question Stem

Each of the following, if true, weakens the argument against the predominant theory about northern cave paintings EXCEPT: 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Weaken question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is C. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

The passage presents an argument against the predominant theory about northern cave paintings. The predominant theory claims that these paintings were largely a description of the painters' current diets. The argument against this theory is based on the fact that the painters must have needed to eat sea animals during their journey to and from the islands, but there are no paintings that unambiguously depict such creatures. The author concludes that the predominant theory cannot be right.

The structure of the argument can be broken down as follows:

- Premise: The painters must have needed to eat sea animals during their journey to and from the islands.

- Premise: There are no paintings that unambiguously depict sea animals.

- Conclusion: The predominant theory (that the paintings were largely a description of the painters' current diets) cannot be right.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be: "Did the painters actually consume sea animals during their journey to and from the islands?"

The question type of this problem is Weaken, and it asks us to identify the answer choice that does NOT weaken the argument against the predominant theory about northern cave paintings.

a) This answer choice weakens the argument by suggesting that the painters' current diet at the time of painting did not need to include sea animals, as they hunted and ate land animals once on the islands.

b) This answer choice weakens the argument by implying that we might not have a complete sample of the paintings, and that some paintings depicting sea animals could have been lost over time.

c) This is the correct answer. It does not weaken the argument, as it only states that the paintings depict many land animals. The argument is mainly concerned with the lack of sea animals in the paintings, so the presence of land animals is not directly relevant.

d) This answer choice weakens the argument by suggesting that the painters did not necessarily need to eat sea animals during their journey, as they had advanced techniques for preserving meats (possibly including land animals).

e) This answer choice weakens the argument by questioning the assumption that the painters were seafaring people who needed to eat sea animals. If the paintings were done by the original inhabitants of the islands who ate land animals, the lack of sea animals in the paintings would not contradict the predominant theory.

In conclusion, the correct answer is C, as it does not weaken the argument against the predominant theory about northern cave paintings. The other answer choices all provide reasons that challenge the argument's conclusion or the relationship between its premises and conclusion.