LSAT 23 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q22

LR Question 22 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Helen: It was wrong of my brother Mark to tell our mother that the…

QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Reasoning

CONCLUSION: Mark was wrong to lie.

REASONING: It’s morally wrong to say something false.

ANALYSIS: Helen’s premise isn’t something we can take for granted. I’m sure you can think of a situation where the best thing to do was to lie. Sometimes someone would be very hurt by the truth.

It’s unusual that an LSAT question attacks one of the premises of an argument, but that’s what happens here.

___________

1. That distinction is irrelevant to this situation. Mark said something he knew was false.
2. This describes a cause and effect error. But there’s no cause and effect problem in the stimulus. It’s clear what happened: Mark told a lie.
3. Mark’s behavior was within his control. He could have chosen not to lie.
4. What appeal to pity? Helen never said we should feel sorry for anyone.
5. CORRECT. Often the most confusing answer is correct. This means: it’s unreasonable to say that it’s always wrong to lie. Sometimes a small lie can make things better.

Recap: The question begins with “Helen: It was wrong of my brother Mark to tell our mother that the”. It is a Flawed Reasoning question. Learn more about LSAT Flaw questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.