- Wed Nov 02, 2022 11:46 am
#98095
Hi,
The discussion concerning the second sentence and whether it is a uni- or bi-conditional is very insightful.
Having said that, I want to be absolutely clear about my understanding of the correct answer choice: the correct answer has nothing to do with that second sentence; correct? In other words, E is most strongly supported by the first sentence; correct?
Assuming the answer to my question above is yes, am I correct in construing "received [by X]" as "affecting the development [of X]"? I ask this latter question because I feel that E exploits the definitions of the word "received" in the context of the stimulus, specifically a "tradition" doing the receiving.
The word "received" is defined as "widely accepted as authoritative or true." Well, one would be hard pressed to deny that in the context of traditions the wide acceptance of something as authoritative or as true by a tradition has no affect/effect on the development of this tradition.
Before those words provoke a whole debate as to their accuracy and exactitude, I would caution two things. First, I am saying that by virtue of the definition of the word "received" in the context of being accepted by a tradition, this literary piece has to have "some" impact on the development; I am not saying it has to revamp it. And second, and more importantly, this is not a must be true question, it is a most strongly supported question; this distinction shores up the gap between the answer falling short from being an inference and the other answers being much further from the target or the inference than E is!
In retrospect, we can exchange the contextual definition of the word "received" with "affecting the development" in the first sentence, apply the contrapositive, and select E as the answer. Again, the question tasks us with an answer that is "most strongly supported," not one that "must be true." So any distance brought on by doubt over semantics can be resolved via the process of elimination, and the "most strongly supported" criteria.
As to the uni- versus bi-directional diagramming of the second sentence, with the utmost respect and appreciation of the frustrations that come with mastering the LSAT skills do I say that the bidirectional interpretation is the superior interpretation of the second sentence, at in least in my humble non-expert opinion. And I confess that under the gun of the clock, I totally missed the "at least" as an indicator of what is necessary being embedded within the sufficient "if."
I just proceeded to eliminate A, B, C, and D, had no idea what E is saying, although I faintly sensed it associated with the contrapositive to the first sentence but still was not sure; and remembering the PowerScore recommendation for RC (if you are certain that four are incorrect, and one you are clueless about what it means , pick the one you do not understand) so picked E and hoped for the best!
I stopped reviewing questions I get correctly, but I am glad that I went back and reviewed this one. Who knows, a subtle bidirectional relationship can come into play with the correct answer! If not, "at least" I am now alert to the broader phraseological technique!
Thank You All
Always great!
Mazen