Q21 - Professor Chan: The literature department's

[LSAT-Chang]

...Can someone help me with this question?
I chose (D). This was the core I had:

It is the literature department's responsibility to include the study of advertisements in its undergraduate studies. Why? Because the literature department's courses give students the critical skills to analyze and understand texts.

So I thought the author was assuming:

1. If there is a course that teaches the critical skills to analyze and understands texts, then the department should be responsible to include the study of advertisements in undergraduate studies.
2. critical skills to analyze and understand texts is important to the study of advertisements

SO why on earth do we have to assume (E)?!?!?! So what if the literature department's responsibility is not limited to teachign students how to analyze true literary works?? What happens if we negate it? "The literature department's responsibility IS limited to teaching students how to analyze true literary works" -- I don't get how this destroys the conclusion that "it is the literature department's responsibility to include the study of advetisements in its undergraduate studies"... I don't get with these assumption questions -- they just seem so out of the core and so I really feel hopeless finding the core and eliminating the correct answer choice because it seems out of the core...

[timmydoeslsat]

You are so ready for a break through. It is going to happen. You will master this stuff, you are very close. I can see it in your thought process.

Before I go over this problem, I want to show you how flexible you need to be on these necessary assumption questions. By flexible, I mean allow your mind to discover that something way out there initially is necessary to the argument.

If the following is painfully obvious to you, then I apologize. I just want to make sure we are launching ourselves from the same platform on how to judge necessary assumptions.

____________________________________________________
Hypothetical Argument

Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to prison for a crime. His sentence was for 10 consecutive years in prison. Therefore, Rod Blagojevich will spend the next 10 years in prison.


The conclusion of this argument is that he will spend the next 10 years in prison. Let us think of some necessary assumptions of this argument. What this argument needs for this conclusion to follow.

- He will not die of illness after 2 years in prison.

- His Aunt Sally will not successfully break Blagojevich out of prison.

- The prison system will not collapse within five years

- Blagojevich will not get out early for good behavior

I could go on forever.

My favorite one I came up with is about Aunt Sally. It comes out of nowhere, yet it is necessary.
____________________________________________________


The core of Professor Wigmore's argument can be seen as:

Ads might or might not be true literary works. Ads do have a detrimental effect on society largely because people cannot figure out their real message.
+
Literature dept's courses give students critical skills to analyze and understand texts.

---> Lit dept's responsibility to include study of ads in its undergrad courses.

My thoughts initially after seeing argument

Where did responsibility come from? I bet this will be addressed in an answer choice.

Answer choices:

A) (Negated) Texts that are true literary works sometimes have a detrimental effect on society. The author's conclusion is about studying ads and how it is a responsibility of the lit dept. Nothing is necessary about this.


B) (Negated) Courses offered by lit dept can include both lit works and material such as advertisements. That would not destroy it.


C) (Negated) Students who take courses in the literature dept do get from those other courses other skills besides those needed to analyze and understand texts.

Talk about "who cares!" Who cares if students got "other skills?"


D) (Negated) Forms of advertising that convey their message entirely through visual images do have a detrimental effect on society.

Does that statement ruin the idea of lit depts having a responsibility to include the study of ads in its courses?

No. Here is why.

This answer choice is talking about "forms" of advertising. It is talking about forms of advertising that does something entirely through images. What about all of the other forms of advertising that have nothing but text in them? There is nothing necessary about this certain form of advertising.


E) (Negated) The lit dept's responsibility is limited to teaching students how to analyze true literary works.

Here is why this statement destroys the conclusion.

If their responsibility is LIMITED to analyzing true literary works, then how can it be the responsibility to study something that might not be true literary works?

Wigmore stated that ads might or might not be. Wigmore must have the idea of the lit department not being limited to teaching students how to analyze true literary works.

This is because he believes that ads is a responsibility as well.

[LSAT-Chang]

If their responsibility is LIMITED to analyzing true literary works, then how can it be the responsibility to study something that might not be true literary works?

Wigmore stated that ads might or might not be. Wigmore must have the idea of the lit department not being limited to teaching students how to analyze true literary works.

This is because he believes that ads is a responsibility as well.

Yeah.. see I didn't think the part about "ads might or might not be true literary works" was important. The core that you have is basically everything Prof Wigmore stated -- and that was what I was having an issue with since I thought the point of looking for a core was to zone in that CORE, so I overlooked something because I didn't think it was a part of it.. so when (E) mentioned about true literary works, that part wasn't included in "MY" core, so I eliminated it right away.. I am definitely having a break down right now..... Thanks so much for your help though!