LSAT 6, Logical Reasoning I, Q14, LSATHacks

LR Question 14 Explanation, by LSATHacks

QUESTION TEXT: Joshua Smith’s new novel was criticized by the book editor…

QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Reasoning

CONCLUSION: The novel is not implausible.

REASONING: Each situation the hero gets into is plausible (individually)

ANALYSIS: This is a bad argument. Many things are possible individually but not together. It is not plausible that someone is (at the same time): president, head of the world’s largest corporation, an Olympic gold medalist in every sport, and the richest man in the world. Even though there are people that do each of those things, individually.

Most likely the book is a series of zany events that are totally implausible when combined.

___________

1. The stimulus does say that the editor made similar criticisms in the past. But it goes beyond ad hominem and gives a reason: the events are individually plausible.
2. This is a different flaw. It would be if we both agreed that the moon is made of green cheese and concluded that therefore the moon is made of green cheese (simply because we said so.)
3. Same as A. The stimulus does say the critic was wrong in the past. But it gives a reason why the critic was wrong.
4. CORRECT. Yes. The whole is not the same as the parts e.g. Each cell in your body is small, but you are not small. Each incident in the book was believable, but they were not all believable combined.
5. This would be the error of “preaching to the converted.” It is not what happens here.

Recap: The question begins with “Joshua Smith’s new novel was criticized by the book editor”. It is a Flawed Reasoning question. Learn more about LSAT Flaw questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.

Hi, I'm Graeme Blake

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