Q17

 
bramon.elizabeth
Thanks Received: 1
Forum Guests
 
Posts: 14
Joined: January 10th, 2013
 
 
 

Q17

by bramon.elizabeth Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:26 pm

For this question I chose (B) because (E) didn't seem directly supported by the passage. In line 30 or so it specifically says "partial determinant of an individual's actions," but it's not directly referring to contingencies, it's referring to the structures formed from these contingencies. Can we justify (E) then by saying that since the contingencies at least partially determine those structures, and the structures partially determine actions, that the contingencies themselves partially determine the actions? (Without committing the part-to-whole fallacy?)

Thanks!
User avatar
 
tommywallach
Thanks Received: 468
Atticus Finch
Atticus Finch
 
Posts: 1041
Joined: August 11th, 2009
 
 
 

Re: Q17

by tommywallach Fri Feb 01, 2013 8:51 pm

Hey Elizabeth,

I can't tell from your question if you think you got the question right or wrong! But yes, your explanation seems to be right on. The answer is (B), which is what you picked. A contingency is not a form of historical structuring. It's part of historical structuring, a part that has an effect on it, but it isn't a form of it.

(E) is in the passage at the end of the second paragraph: "...partially determines the sorts of actions we are able to perform." And yes, this is a common error. The part to whole fallacy does not apply to causation.

If (A) causes (B) and (B) causes (C), then by the transitive property it is absolutely legitimate to say that (A) causes (C).

Hope that helps!

-t
Tommy Wallach
Manhattan LSAT Instructor
twallach@manhattanprep.com
Image
 
griffin.811
Thanks Received: 43
Atticus Finch
Atticus Finch
 
Posts: 127
Joined: September 09th, 2012
 
 
 

Re: Q17

by griffin.811 Sat Sep 21, 2013 11:49 am

Doesn't answer choice E just restate D in different words?
 
Jessica_x_1028
Thanks Received: 0
Vinny Gambini
Vinny Gambini
 
Posts: 6
Joined: October 01st, 2016
 
 
 

Re: Q17

by Jessica_x_1028 Thu Jan 12, 2017 7:07 am

I think D is line 22 "...varying degrees of control".