LSAT 106 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q23

LR Question 23 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Ethicist: It is widely believed that it is always…

QUESTION TYPE: Principle

PRINCIPLE: It is correct to lie when telling the truth will likely:

1. Hurt others quite a bit.
2. Physically or psychologically.

ANALYSIS: There are three elements to the principle. We have to expect that it’s likely someone will be hurt, a lot, either physically or psychologically.

The right answer must have all three. These are sufficient conditions for finding a lie to be morally correct.

There may be other ways a lie can be morally correct. We can never prove that it was morally wrong to lie.

The right answer seems like a stretch. None of the conditions above are explicitly stated. This question is a good example of the type of outside assumptions allowed on the LSAT. Everyone knows a small child will be hurt to hear his mother loves his sister more than him.

___________

1. We don’t know if the truth would likely have caused Juan considerable harm. It seems doubtful. They’re going to see a movie.
2. The father didn’t want to avoid causing someone pain. He just didn’t feel like talking.
3. It seems likely that the lie might cause the husband problems: he has chest pain! Telling the truth would have only been inconvenient, missing a trip didn’t sound painful.
4. CORRECT. This is tricky. Remember that you’re allowed to use outside assumptions if they’re warranted (i.e. everyone would agree they are true).
    
   It’s reasonable to expect that the young boy or his sister could be hurt if they found out the mother preferred one of them. In fact, it’s reasonable to expect the pain would be considerable. So lying was correct.
5. This sounds good, but the principle only applies if we can avoid causing pain to others.