LSAT 115 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q11

LR Question 11 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Letter to the editor: According to your last editor’s…

QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Reasoning

CONCLUSION: The opinion that we should carry identity cards is wrong.

REASONING: Those who wrote the opinion did not identify themselves.

ANALYSIS: The letter to the editor is correct that the author of the anonymous article was a hypocrite: he did not identify himself. However that doesn’t necessarily mean the article’s opinion was wrong. Perhaps we should carry identity cards. The letter to the editor ought to have disputed this viewpoint directly. An ad hominem attack can never prove an argument incorrect.

___________

1. Actually, the letter criticized the writers of the article. Letters are traditionally addressed to the editor, even if they criticize other authors..
2. CORRECT. Yes. The letter claims the writers’ opinion is wrong, without giving a reason. The letter only focused on the hypocritical actions of the authors.
3. Actually, the letter doesn’t name an error in reasoning committed by the writers.
4. The author does know that the writers didn’t identify themselves. Since they were calling for everyone to carry ID, they were hypocritical and liable to attack. The problem is, their argument isn’t automatically wrong just because they were hypocrites.
5. Anonymous had the same meaning in both instances: unidentified.

Recap: The question begins with “Letter to the editor: According to your last editor’s”. It is a Flawed Reasoning question. Learn how to master LSAT Flaw questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.