LSAT 151 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q22

LR Question 22 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Counselor: To be kind to someone, one must want that person …

QUESTION TYPE: Must Be False

FACTS:

• To be kind to someone, you have to wish them prosperity.
• Two people who don’t like each other can still respect each other.
• Two people who don’t like each other cannot be fully content with each other.
• Two people who don’t dislike each other will be kind to each other.

ANALYSIS: This is a good question to try to diagram if you want to practice conditional diagramming.

The key chain is:

Do not dislike -> kind -> want prosperity

Now use the other rule:

Dislike -> not fully content

The contrapositive of that is:

Fully content -> do not dislike

Now you can combine them to create a full chain:

Fully content -> do not dislike -> kind -> want prosperity

We can also take the contrapositive of the full chain:

Not want prosperity -> not kind –> dislike –> not fully content

Anything that violates any part of either of these chains must be false.

___________

1. This could be true. “Like each other” isn’t the same thing as “don’t dislike each other” unless the stimulus says so, which it doesn’t. You can just be indifferent.
2. CORRECT. This violates the chain. If people are fully content in each other’s presence, then they do not dislike each other, so they are kind to each other, and kindness requires wanting each other to prosper.
3. Could be true. The stimulus says even people who dislike each other may treat each other with respect, and people who dislike each other cannot be fully content together.
4. Could be true. Wanting someone to prosper is required for kindness, but that does not mean everyone who wants someone to prosper is kind or does not dislike them.
5. Could be true. The stimulus never says kindness requires respect, so it’s possible for people to be kind without treating each other with respect.