Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Hard

PT123 S3 Q18 Explanation

Editorialist: In all cultures it is almost universally

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

TopicsFlaw

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Stimulus

Editorialist: In all cultures, it is almost universally accepted that one has a moral duty to prevent members of one’s family from being harmed. Thus, few would deny that if a person is known by the person’s parents to be falsely accused of a crime, it would be morally right for the that it is sometimes morally right to obstruct the police in their work.

What this question is testing

Flaw

Your task

Describe the reasoning error the argument actually commits.

Common trap

Answers that name a real logical flaw the argument doesn't actually make.

Winning move

Articulate the gap in the reasoning yourself, then match it to the choice that describes that gap.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
18.

The reasoning in the editorialist’s argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds

Answer choices

  1. Wrong Conclusion28% picked this

    utilizes a single type of example for the purpose of justifying

    The conclusion of the argument is that it is sometimes morally right to obstruct the police in their work. The term sometimes is not a broad generalization.

  2. Correct50% picked this

    fails to consider the possibility that other moral principles would be widely recognized as overriding any obligation to protect

    Why this is right

    This points out that the argument overlooked other moral duties that may conflict with the one to protect one’s family from being harmed.

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

  3. Negation8% picked this

    presumes, without providing justification, that allowing the police to arrest an innocent person assists rather

    This negates the assumption of the main argument.

  4. Too Strong7% picked this

    takes for granted that there is no moral obligation to obey

    The argument does not rule out all moral obligations to obey the law. Such obligations, however, must be less important than the obligation to prevent members of one’s family from being harmed.

  5. Out of Scope7% picked this

    takes for granted that the parents mentioned in the example are not mistaken about

    Whether the parents’ belief is mistaken has not impact on the fact that they hold that belief and will act according to what they believe.

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