Logical Reasoning

PT111 · S4 · Q9 Moralist: Humans have a natural

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Logical Reasoning question.

  • Save & drill this skill — build targeted practice sets from questions like this one

  • Video walkthroughs — watch every question solved step by step

  • 81 official LSATs — as questions, timed sections & full-length tests

Start practicing free

Moralist: Humans have a natural disposition to altruism—that is, to behavior that serves the needs of others regardless of one’s own needs—but that very disposition prevents some acts of altruism from counting as moral.

Conclusion

The natural human disposition to altruism prevents some acts of altruism from counting as moral.

Evidence

Reason plays an essential role in any moral behavior. Only behavior that is intended to be in accordance with a formal set of rules can be considered moral behavior.

Evaluate

Whenever we do Main Conclusion (and Role) we read the paragraph differently, knowing that 90% of the time the conclusion is the very first sentence, or it's some rebuttal signified with a pivot word (like "but, yet, however"). In either case, 90% of the time the conclusion is earlier than the support, on these two question types.

As we read this first sentence, we immediately ask ourselves whether it's eligible to be a conclusion (does it sound like an opinion coming from the author?)

This first sentence initially sounds like a fact about human nature, so not a great conclusion contender. However the second half of the first sentence has one of those signature pivot words that we're listening for on Main Conclusion (but, yet, however).

So now we think,

Indeed they do. The 2nd and 3rd sentences combine to explain how a moral action necessitates reason and intention. Meanwhile, if we have a natural inclination to be altruistic, then we're not qualifying as being altruistic because of reason or because we yearn to be in accordance with a moral code.

Instead, we're just doing it kind of automatically, like closing our eyes when we sneeze. Hence, we wouldn't praise such an instinctive action as moral.

Goal

The hard part of Main Conclusion is finding the conclusion (although it gets much easier if we memorize that it will almost always be earlier than the evidence -- that causes us to read the paragraph differently and to listen for an eligible early claim that ends up getting supported or unpacked beneath).

Once we've found the conclusion, we just need to pick an answer that matches the same meaning. So we're looking for a meaning match for

9.

Which one of the following most accurately states the main conclusion of the moralist's argument?

  1. All moral codes prohibit selfishness.

    Unstated

    The correct answer on Main Conclusion identifies which explicit claim was the conclusion. There was no explicit claim that said "all moral codes prohibit selfishness". We're looking to match the 2nd half of the first sentence.

    0% picked this

  2. All moral behavior is motivated

    Unstated

    The correct answer on Main Conclusion identifies which explicit claim was the conclusion. There was no explicit claim that said "all moral behavior is motivated by altruism". We're looking to match the 2nd half of the first sentence.

    2% picked this

  3. Behavior must serve the needs

    Unstated

    The correct answer on Main Conclusion identifies which explicit claim was the conclusion. There was no explicit claim that said "to be moral, it must serve the needs of others". We're looking to match the 2nd half of the first sentence.

    5% picked this

  4. Correct

    Not all altruistic acts are

    Why this is right

    This is the best match we get for the 2nd half of the first sentence: our natural disposition to altruism prevents some acts of altruism from counting as moral It's a somewhat unsatisfying match, because it doesn't reflect the causal aspect that "because we have a natural inclination to be altruistic, it doesn't qualify as altruism." But saying that "some acts of altruism are prevented from counting as moral" is still a good match for "not all altruistic acts are moral".

    Skill tested: Main Conclusion · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

    87% picked this

  5. Altruism develops through the use

    Unstated

    The correct answer on Main Conclusion identifies which explicit claim was the conclusion. There was no explicit claim that said "altruism develops through the use of reason". We're looking to match the 2nd half of the first sentence.

    5% picked this

Continue the review in LSAT Lab

Save this question, watch the video walkthrough, and drill similar questions in your LSAT Lab account.

Save and practice this skill
LSAT Lab

Turn this review into a targeted study plan.

Save this question, drill more like it, watch the video walkthrough, and track your progress in your LSAT Lab account.

Start practicing free