Flawed ReasoningDiff: Hardest

Logic Breakdown

Passage Summary: The author argues that criminals shouldn't be blamed for their crimes because their behavior is shaped by their surroundings, which are built by the law-abiding majority; therefore, the majority is solely to blame.

Conclusion: Law-abiding citizens are the only ones truly responsible for crimes.

Reasoning: Criminal actions are caused by the environment, and since law-abiding people create and maintain that environment, the responsibility shifts entirely to them.

Analysis: This argument suffers from a totalizing flaw regarding the concept of responsibility. It assumes that if an environment influences an action, the person performing the action has no responsibility at all, and the creators of that environment have all of it. You should look for an answer choice that highlights this 'all-or-nothing' leap or points out that the author ignores the possibility of shared responsibility. It's a bit like blaming the person who built a road for a driver's decision to speed.

Passage Stimulus

Passage Redacted

Unlock Full Passage

22.

The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that

Correct Answer
E
Correct. The conclusion that law-abiding people alone are truly responsible for crime contradicts the earlier principle that actions (including those of law-abiding people) are ultimately products of the environment, which the argument used to deny responsibility for criminals.
Upgrade Your Prep

Ready to go beyond free explanations?

LSAT Perfection is the #1 modern LSAT prep platform, trusted by thousands of students for comprehensive test strategies, advanced drilling, and full analytics on every PrepTest.

Detailed explanations for 59 PrepTests
Advanced drillset builder
Personalized analytics
Built-in Wrong Answer Journal
Explore Perfection Plus for full LSAT prep