Question

Before the printing press, books could be purchased only in expensive manuscript copies. The printing press produced books that were significantly less expensive than the manuscript editions. The public's demand for printed books in the first years after the invention of the printing press was many times greater than demand had been for manuscript copies. This increase demonstrates that there was a dramatic jump in the number of people who learned how to read in the years after publishers first started producing books on the printing press. Which one of the following statements, if true, casts doubt on the argument? (A) During the first years after the invention of the printing press, letter writing by people who wrote without the assistance of scribes or clerks exhibited a dramatic increase. (B) Books produced on the printing press are often found with written comments in the margins in the handwriting of the people who owned the books. (C) In the first years after the printing press was invented, printed books were purchased primarily by people who had always bought and read expensive manuscripts but could afford a greater number of printed books for the same money. (D) Books that were printed on the printing press in the first years after its invention often circulated among friends in informal reading clubs or libraries. (E) The first printed books published after the invention of the printing press would have been useless to illiterate people, since the books had virtually no illustrations.

Short answer

Option C casts doubt by suggesting existing readers bought more due to lower costs, not increased literacy.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Argument

The argument claims that the increase in demand for printed books after the invention of the printing press demonstrates a dramatic increase in literacy, as more people learned how to read when publishers started producing printed books.

Identify What Would Cast Doubt

To cast doubt on the argument, a statement should present an alternative explanation for the increased demand for books that does not involve an increase in literacy.

Analyze Each Statement

We need to assess each given statement (A to E) to see if any of them provide a reason for the increase in demand other than a rise in literacy.

Evaluate Option C

Option C suggests that printed books were purchased primarily by people who previously bought expensive manuscripts. This indicates that the increase in demand is due to existing readers buying more books due to reduced costs, not necessarily an increase in literacy.

Compare Other Options

Other options do not provide as strong an alternative explanation. For example, options A and B relate to people who can already read, D suggests sharing among existing readers, and E implies the books were still useless to illiterates, not clearly doubting the literacy argument.

Key concepts

Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension is all about understanding and interpreting the information you read, which is crucial when tackling LSAT Logical Reasoning exercises. In the original exercise involving the printing press, you start by carefully reading the passage to grasp its main argument. The argument is that the increased demand for printed books after the invention of the printing press indicates a rise in literacy rates.

To effectively comprehend such passages:

• Identify the main point or conclusion. In this case, it's the claim about increased literacy.
• Underline key sentences that support or explain this main point.
• Notice any assumptions that are necessary for the argument to hold true.

You need to understand what the argument is claiming before analyzing how strong it is. This involves not only following the logic but also recognizing what is stated explicitly and what is implied. Only then can you effectively evaluate statements that might challenge the argument.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking plays a pivotal role when you're asked to evaluate arguments as in the LSAT Logical Reasoning section. In the exercise, it's crucial to analyze the argument critically to see what underlying assumptions are made. The premise states there’s a correlation between the rise in book demand and literacy increase. However, correlation doesn't equal causation, a classic critical thinking concept.

Here's how critical thinking helps you analyze such problems:

• Question underlying assumptions: Is it only increased literacy leading to more book sales?
• Consider alternative explanations: Could lower book costs mean longer-time literates buy more?
• Reflect on the scope: Are the conclusions drawn relevant to just a specific era or group?

Critical thinking enables you to dissect the argument as to why the increased demand might not automatically mean more people can read. This involves looking for gaps or weaknesses in reasoning, which is key to evaluating each statement's impact on the argument.

Argument Analysis

Argument analysis is the methodical process of evaluating the effectiveness of reasoning in a passage or statement. In the printing press problem, you are tasked with identifying which statement best undermines the argument that increased book demand equates to increased literacy. The main goal is to isolate which option suggests an alternative explanation to the increased demand.

For proficient argument analysis:

• Break down the argument: Summarize the main point, evidence, and assumptions.
• Assess the strength of the evidence: Does it fully support the claim?
• Identify alternative causes: Are there other reasons for the demand surge?

Statement C, mentioning existing readers who buy more due to cost reductions, provides an alternative reason for the increased demand. By analyzing this statement's implication, you challenge the connection the original argument makes between book demand and literacy increases. Argument analysis requires sifting through options to find which one most directly impacts the stated argument.

Literature History

Understanding the historical context of literature can enhance how you interpret and solve LSAT Logical Reasoning questions. The exercise around the printing press reflects such historical insights. Books before this invention were costly manuscripts, limiting access to the literate elite. With the press, books became affordable, altering the landscape of literature distribution.

Relevance of literature history includes:

• Contextualizing technological impacts: The press transformed who had access to literature.
• Considering socio-economic factors: Reduced book costs made more literature accessible.
• Observing cultural shifts: Increased access potentially impacted education and literacy.

By grasping these historical changes, one sees how wider access to books doesn’t automatically mean an increase in literacy; it could simply imply books became available to the already literate. Such historical insights might offer the proverbial 'missing link' when evaluating logical reasoning arguments in exercises dealing with similar historical innovations.