Flawed ReasoningDiff: Medium

Logic Breakdown

Passage Summary: Faden uses a survey to claim their exercise machines are still being used, but Greenwall suggests people might be lying out of embarrassment. Faden dismisses this by saying that since Greenwall can't prove they lied, the objection is nonsense.

Conclusion: Faden concludes that Greenwall's objection regarding dishonest survey respondents is invalid.

Reasoning: Faden argues that because Greenwall cannot prove the customers were lying, the possibility of lying can be dismissed entirely.

Analysis: Faden is committing a classic 'absence of evidence' fallacy, which is a common trap on the LSAT. Just because Greenwall hasn't provided definitive proof that the survey respondents lied doesn't mean the survey is definitely accurate. Faden is essentially claiming that a lack of proof for a claim (that people lied) constitutes proof that the claim is false. Look for an answer that describes this failure to distinguish between a lack of evidence for a position and evidence against that position.

Passage Stimulus

Passage Redacted

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19.

Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the reasoning above?

Correct Answer
D
D is correct. Faden presumes the survey stands unless it’s proven false. But a credible explanation of why respondents might misreport (embarrassment) can undermine the survey’s reliability without proof that specific responses are false.
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