LSAT 118 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q12

LR Question 12 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Columnist: If you received an unsigned letter …

QUESTION TYPE: Method of Reasoning

CONCLUSION: It makes sense to be skeptical of anonymous sources in news stories.

REASONING: Anonymity can make people say false or biased statements without repercussions, just like with unsigned letters.

ANALYSIS: They’re using an analogy here.

If you got an unsigned letter, you probably wouldn’t trust it fully. That’s because anonymity can encourage people to say false or misleading things because they’re anonymous.

The author uses that to say: well, anonymous sources are similar. So it makes sense to be skeptical of anonymous sources in news stories.

(You might be thinking: anonymous sources in news stories are usually vetted by the journalist. Which is valid, but we’re not evaluating the argument here).

___________

1. CORRECT. The author is saying skepticism is justified toward anonymous news sources because you would be skeptical towards unsigned letters, which are similar.
2. There’s no comparison between two existing attitudes. Instead, it uses one situation to justify what our attitude should be in another.
3. Way too broad. The columnist isn’t making a claim about all anonymous situations. Just this specific analogous case.
4. The argument doesn’t show unsigned letters are “usually false.”
5. There’s no discussion of motives, and definitely not a conclusion that the information is likely false. It’s merely saying that skepticism is warranted.