LSAT 159 | Section 4 | Reading Comprehension: Q13

RC Question 13 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: The author of passage A would be most likely to agree with …

DISCUSSION: Passage A contrasts sports audiences (who still have clear standards for excellence) with art audiences, whose standards have become confused.

Kant’s aesthetic theory is described as the basis for appreciating the beauty of both sports and art — beauty that appears purposeful even if it serves no purpose.

Given that, the author of Passage A would likely find Kant’s framework inconsistent with how modern audiences actually judge art, since he criticizes those audiences for lacking stable standards of beauty or excellence.

___________

1. CORRECT. Passage A suggests that modern artistic audiences have lost consistent standards of judgment. Therefore, the author would likely say Kant’s view of beauty doesn’t fit how today’s audiences assess art — they’re guided by novelty and shock, not by Kant’s notion of purposive beauty.
2. Nothing in Passage A suggests Kant’s theory conflicts with the ceremonial or performative nature of art or sport.
3. Passage A doesn’t concern formality or historical scope of artists.
4. The author of Passage A would not say Kant’s views apply equally well to both, since he sees a sharp divide between sports (clear standards) and art (confused standards).
5. Kant’s idea of purposive beauty contradicts the “ugliness” that Passage A criticizes, so the author would not agree that Kant’s views explain such trends.