LSAT Question Explanation
PT 108, Section 3, Question 11
Necessary AssumptionArgument structure
Using sea lions with cameras would allow scientists to study the everyday behavior of whales.
It's hard to study whales everyday behavior because whales don't act naturally when unusual things like divers and submarines enter their environment. However, whales are used to being around sea lions.
Explanation
This is an interesting idea... sea lions with cameras?
The scientists claim that because whales are used to having sea lions in their environment the whales will act naturally. But these aren't going to be normal sea lions. The sea lions will have cameras strapped to their back and will be trained to swim alongside whales. The scientists are assuming that the whales won't change their behavior due to the unnatural behavior of the sea lions or due to noticing the cameras somehow.
Answer choices
This is not needed. We already know that whales change their behavior in the presence of divers and submarines, we don't need to know specifically that they become aggressive. Maybe they become very shy.
This is needed. The scientist's whole argument is based on the fact that sea lions are natural in the environment so the whales would not be prompted to change their behavior. But if the trained sea lions behave oddly compared to normal sea lions, the whales might change their behavior.
This doesn't matter. We just need the sea lions to act like normal sea lions. The sea lions could be aware of the cameras and act completely natural.
This is not needed. It doesn't matter how close the sea lions can get compared to divers. The scientists issue was about whales changing their behavior when novel stimuli enters their environment, not about filming/studying the whales from close range.
It doesn't matter what whales prefer. We just need them to act natural and go about their everyday routine.