LSAT 42, Logical Reasoning I, Q24, LSATHacks

LR Question 24 Explanation, by LSATHacks

QUESTION TEXT: Advertisement: Our oat bran cereal is the only one that…

QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Parallel Reasoning

CONCLUSION: The health claims on the package are accurate

ANALYSIS: This question is an example of circular reasoning. How do we know the cereal is healthy and that the information is accurate? Health conscious consumers buy it.

How do we know the consumers are health conscious? They buy the cereal.

The test for a circular argument is whether there is no outside evidence with which to evaluate the argument.

___________

1. This is a decent argument. People are considered polite not just because they greet their co-workers, but because “they are consistently polite in their daily lives.” It would only be circular if the sole evidence of their politeness was that they greeted their co-workers.
2. CORRECT. This is circular. Why is the card game challenging? Only intelligent people play it. How do we know they are intelligent? They play the challenging card game.
3. Not circular. Through a fine sense of taste, the subjects showed they really were good at distinguishing coffees.
4. Not circular. The speaker could tell the people were short by looking at them.
5. Not circular. Mistaking flowers for a peacock is an objective indicator of really bad eyesight.

Recap: The question begins with “Advertisement: Our oat bran cereal is the only one that”. It is a Flawed Parallel Reasoning question. Learn more about LSAT Flawed Parallel questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.

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