Conditional Reasoning II

Question 1

ID the Conditional Indicator’s target word or phrase:

If I’m breathing, air is present

The indicator’s target is the word or phrase it is referring to.

Answer 1

If {I’m breathing}, air is present

You can use the “what” test to find out what the target indicator is.

Just ask: “ What is the indicator referring to?

If I’m breathing, air is present
Ask, “If what?”

breathing is what the target is referring to, therefore it is the target we’re looking for.

Question 2

ID the Conditional Indicator’s target word or phrase:

When I’m breathing, air is present

The indicator’s target is the word or phrase it is referring to.

Answer 2

When {I’m breathing}, air is present

You can use the “what” test to find out what the target indicator is.

Just ask: “ What is the indicator referring to?

When I’m breathing, air is present
Ask, “When what?”

breathing is what the target is referring to, therefore it is the target we’re looking for.

Question 3

ID the Conditional Indicator’s target word or phrase:

Any breathing means air is present

The indicator’s target is the word or phrase it is referring to.

Answer 3

Any {breathing} means air is present

You can use the “what” test to find out what the target indicator is.

Just ask: “ What is the indicator referring to?

Any breathing means air is present
Ask, “Any what?”

breathing is what the target is referring to, therefore it is the target we’re looking for.

Question 4

ID the Conditional Indicator’s target word or phrase:

All instances of breathing have air present

The indicator’s target is the word or phrase it is referring to.

Answer 4

All {instances of breathing} have air present

You can use the “what” test to find out what the target indicator is.

Just ask: “ What is the indicator referring to?

All instances of breathing have air present
Ask, “All what?”

instances of breathing is what the target is referring to, therefore it is the target we’re looking for.

Question 5

ID the Conditional Indicator’s target word or phrase:

Every instance of breathing has air present

The indicator’s target is the word or phrase it is referring to.

Answer 5

Every {instance of breathing} has air present

You can use the “what” test to find out what the target indicator is.

Just ask: “ What is the indicator referring to?

In order to breathe, I must have air
Ask, “Every what?”

instance of breathing is what the target is referring to, therefore it is the target we’re looking for.

Question 6

ID the Conditional Indicator’s target word or phrase:

In order to breathe, I must have air

The indicator’s target is the word or phrase it is referring to.

Answer 6

In order to {breathe}, I must have air

You can use the “what” test to find out what the target indicator is.

Just ask: “ What is the indicator referring to?

In order to breathe, I must have air
Ask, “In order to what?”

breathe is what the target is referring to, therefore it is the target we’re looking for.

Question 7

ID the Conditional Indicator’s target word or phrase:

People who breathe need air

The indicator’s target is the word or phrase it is referring to.

Answer 7

People who {breathe} need air

You can use the “what” test to find out what the target indicator is.

Just ask: “ What is the indicator referring to?

People who breath need air
Ask, “People who what?”

breathe is what the target is referring to, therefore it is the target we’re looking for.

Question 8

ID the Conditional Indicator’s target word or phrase:

Air must be present for breathing

The indicator’s target is the word or phrase it is referring to.

Answer 8

{Air} must be present for breathing

You can use the “what” test to find out what the target indicator is.

Just ask: “ What is the indicator referring to?

Air must be present for breathing
Ask, “What must be present for breathing?”
Air is what the target is referring to, therefore it is the target we’re looking for.

Question 9

ID the Conditional Indicator’s target word or phrase:

Air is required for breathing.

The indicator’s target is the word or phrase it is referring to.

Answer 9

{Air} is required for breathing.

You can use the “what” test to find out what the target indicator is.

Just ask: “ What is the indicator referring to?

Air is required for breathing
Ask, “What is required for breathing?”
Air is what the target is referring to, therefore it is the target we’re looking for.

Question 10

Chaining conditionals

How would you chain these two conditionals?

Answer 10

L → M → N

Question 11

Chaining conditionals

How would you chain these 2 conditionals?

Answer 11

Question 12

Chaining conditionals

What is the chain and contrapositive of these conditionals?

Answer 12

Question 13

And/Or:

What is the contrapositive of this?

Answer 13

Question 14

And/Or:

What is the contrapositive of this?

Answer 14

Question 15

And/Or:

Diagram “neither x nor y”

Answer 15

Question 16

And/Or:

Always diagram and/or conditionals {vertically/horizontally}

Answer 16

Vertically

Question 17

If and only if:

How do you diagram “if and only if”?

Answer 17

As a double arrow/biconditional.

Use the double arrow to diagram if and only if as a biconditional.

Example: If and only if I’m doing something that I love am I happy.

If I’m doing something that I love, then I’m happy
DSIL → H

If I’m happy, then I’m doing something that I love
H → DSIL

If and only if I’m doing something that I love am I happy.
DSIL ↔ H

Question 18

If and only if:

What are the four indicators of the “if and only if” family?

Answer 18

-if but only if
-all and only
-but not otherwise
-when and only when

Question 19

Either/Or:

Explain what the inclusion indicator either/or forces us to do.

Either/or is the inclusion indicator

Answer 19

Either/or forces us to include at least one of the two things it targets

Question 20

Either/Or:

What are the two steps to diagramming “either/or” (aka the inclusion indicators)?

Answer 20

1. Negate one half of the statement and put it in the sufficient condition.
2. Place the other half in the necessary condition.

Either I will stare into the distance or I will make progress
1. Negate one helf of the statement: ~stare →
2. Place the other half in the necessary condition:
~stare → make progress

Question 21

Exclusion indicators:

What are the four exclusion indicators?

Exclusion indicators set up mutally exclusive relationships

Answer 21

1. No
2. None
3. Nobody
4. Never

Question 22

Exclusion indicators:

What are the two steps to diagram the exclusion indicators (no, none, never, nobody)?

Answer 22

1. Choose one side of the statement and put it in the sufficient condition.
2. Negate the other side and put it in the necessary condition.

Question 23

The exception:

What is the conditional exception indicator?

Answer 23

Unless

Question 24

Unless: The Exception indicator

How do you diagram “unless”?

Answer 24

~[the way things are] → exception

1. The target of unless is the exception. Throw it in the necssary condition.
2. The other half of the statement is the way things always are. go against the grain. negate the way the things always are and put that in the sufficient condition.
3. You end up with ~[the way things always are] → Exception

Question 25

Who are the three other members of the unless family?

Answer 25

1. Except 2. Until 3. Without

Question 26

What does “some” mean?

Answer 26

Some means any quantity of one or more. It can mean anywhere from 1%-100%.

Question 27

What does most mean?

Answer 27

Most means any quantity in the majority. Most can mean 51-100%.

Question 28

How do I diagram “some”?

Answer 28

Diagram “some” using a double arrow

Question 29

What are the other four members of the “some” family?

Answer 29

2. Few 3. Many 3. At least one 4. Several (Yes, they all mean the same thing on the lsat)

Question 30

How do you diagram “not all” and what does it mean?

Answer 30

**“Not all”** means some of the target *doesn’t* have the quality described. You diagram it by identifying the target and applying a negative to the other side of the statements. *not all feathers are in caps* means some feathers are **not** in caps.

Question 31

What is the contrapositive to a “some” statement?

Answer 31

There is no contrapositive for some statements. There are no negated meanings. *some water bottles are hilariously overpriced* If someone is not a water bottle, they may or may not be hilariously overpriced. We don’t know so we can’t make any claims on this.

Question 32

How do you diagram the “most” arrow?

Answer 32

“Most” arrows only go one way

Question 33

How would you diagram the sentence “most otters are burglars”?

Answer 33

Question 34

Who are the other 4 members of the **“most”** family?

Answer 34

1. Usually 2. Probably 3. Mostly 4. More often than not

Question 35

What is “the most implication”?

Answer 35

You can read a “most” statement backwards as long as you switch the “some” to “most” when you do. ## Footnote The most implication states that the majority of something in one category (otters) is also in another category (burglars). Because of this, some of the other category (burglars) also overlaps with the original category (otters). *most otters are burglars* Otters - m → burglars Therefore: Burglars ←s → otters