Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Hard

PT149 S3 Q15 ExplanationThere is a popular view among literary critics

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

TopicsFlaw

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Stimulus

There is a popular view among literary critics that a poem can never be accurately paraphrased because a poem is itself the only accurate expression of its meaning. But these same critics hold that their own paraphrases of particular poetry cannot be accurately paraphrased is false.

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
15.

The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to the criticism that

Answer choices, explained

  1. Wrong Flaw22% picked this

    presupposes the falsity of the view that it sets out

    This describes (a weird objection-version of) the famous Circular Reasoning flaw, in which the author presumes the truth of her conclusion. Saying the author assumes the truth of her conclusion is kind of like saying the premise was the same as the conclusion. But this argument had a premise that was distinct from its conclusion — the premise is the fact that these critics seem to contradict themselves by thinking their own paraphrases are accurate.

  2. Too Strong: main purpose3% picked this

    takes for granted that the main purpose of poems is to convey information rather

    The author hasn't assumed (taken for granted) anything about what is or isn't the main purpose of poems. The argument is simply about whether poems can or can't be accurately paraphrased.

  3. Too Strong: cannot be useful unless18% picked this

    takes for granted that a paraphrase of a poem cannot be useful to its readers unless it accurately

    The author hasn't assumed (taken for granted) anything about when poems can or can't be useful. The argument is simply about whether poems can or can't be accurately paraphrased.

  4. Correct41% picked this

    provides no justification for favoring one of the literary critics’ beliefs

    Why this is right

    The critics have two contradictory beliefs 1. poems can never be accurately paraphrased 2. some of our paraphrases are accurate The author concludes that #1 is wrong, but why couldn't it be that #2 is wrong instead?

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

  5. Same Definition15% picked this

    provides no justification for following one particular definition

    The argument never switches what is means by "paraphrase". It seems to be used consistently throughout.

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