Logical Reasoning

PT116 · S2 · Q18 Editorial: It is clear that

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

Editorial: It is clear that what is called “health education” is usually propaganda rather than education.

Conclusion (It is clear that)

"Health education" is usually propaganda rather than education.

Evidence

Propaganda and education are never the same thing.

Propaganda is nothing but an attempt to influence behavior through the repetition of simplistic slogans.

Evaluate

Since we were given a definition of propaganda (nothing but an attempt to influence behavior through repetition of simplistic slogans), if we're trying to prove that,

Health education is usually propaganda

then we need to know that

Health education is usually [nothing but an attempt to influence behavior through repetition of simplistic slogans].

We don't have to worry about education, since we are told that it is never the same thing as propaganda. We also don't have to worry about the fact that propaganda is much more successful than education, because our only job here is to prove that "health education" is usually propaganda (whether it's successful or not).

Goal

Since the question stem already cues up the first few words of what we're looking for, we just need the backend. Health education is usually nothing but an attempt to influence behavior through the repetition of simplistic slogans.

18.

The conclusion drawn by the editorial follows logically if it is assumed that what is called "health education" usually

  1. does not leave it up

    Unrelated to Goal

    Do we have a rule somewhere that says, if it's not leaving it then it's up to the individual → propaganda ? to decide how to act No. Propaganda was never defined as "not-leaving it up to the individual to decide", so this answer won't allow us to prove that health education is usually propaganda. This answer only allows us to prove that health education usually isn't education. But it's not like there are only two choices in the world, where anything that isn't education is automatically propaganda. This ham sandwich isn't education, but that doesn't mean it's propaganda.

    9% picked this

  2. does not offer information in

    Unrelated to Goal

    Do we have a rule somewhere that says, if it's not offering up then it's information in all its → propaganda ? complexity No. Propaganda was never defined as "not-offering info in all its complexity", so this answer won't allow us to prove that health education is usually propaganda. This answer only allows us to prove that health education usually isn't education. But it's not like there are only two choices in the world, where anything that isn't education is automatically propaganda.

    15% picked this

  3. does not involve the repetition

    Opposite

    Propaganda does involve the repetition of simplistic slogans, and we're trying to prove that health education is usually propaganda, so this is the opposite of what we want.

    5% picked this

  4. Correct

    attempts to influence behavior solely

    Why this is right

    We were told in the evidence that Propaganda is nothing but an attempt to influence behavior through the repetition of simplistic slogans. This answer choice is telling us that Health education is usually an attempt to influence behavior through the repetition of simplistic slogans. So combining those two ideas we can derive the argument's conclusion: Health education is usually propaganda. (If you're worried about whether we're moving backwards conditionally with the premise, it's a bi-conditional since it's saying that 'propaganda' is nothing more than X. That would mean "if propaganda, then X" as well as "if X, then propaganda").

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

    60% picked this

  5. is very successful in influencing

    Relative vs. Absolute

    Were we told that "Propaganda is very successful at influencing people's behavior"? No, we were only told that it is much more successful than education. We could say that the 80th ranked golf player in the world is much more successful than the 200th ranked golf player in the world, but that doesn't mean that the 80th ranked golf player is very successful. "more successful" = relative language "very successful" = absolute language

    10% 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