LSAT 110 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q5

LR Question 5 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Columnist: A democratic society cannot exist unless…

QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption

CONCLUSION: Reliance on movies and electronic media are destroying democracy.

REASONING: Democracy need bonds of mutual trust. Bonds of trust are made and strengthened only by participation in organized civic groups outside the family.

ANALYSIS: This is the argument from Bowling Alone. It’s assuming that electronic media are causing us to join fewer civic groups.

___________

1. This is too strong. It’s only necessary that reliance on such media makes people less likely to form bonds of trust. It doesn’t have to be impossible.
2. Even if they could, they would have a problem if no one joined their organizations because they were all watching TV.
3. The argument would still work if newspapers were merely neutral for democracy. 
4. CORRECT. If people are just as likely to participate in groups even if they rely on electronic media then the argument falls apart. 
5. The argument would not be affected if people who relied on electronic media were just as close to their families as people who didn’t.