Flawed ReasoningDiff: Medium
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: Since politicians only give speeches to get elected, we can't trust what they say and should assume they are just being selfish.
Conclusion: Speeches made by political candidates are untrustworthy and driven by self-interest.
Reasoning: The primary goal of a politician delivering a speech is to win an election.
Analysis: The flaw here is the assumption that a person's motives dictate the truthfulness or reliability of their statements. While it is true that politicians want to get elected, that doesn't logically prove that their promises are 'unreliable' or that the content of the speech is purely selfish. A candidate might make a reliable promise specifically because they believe it is the best way to get elected. Look for an answer that points out the argument's failure to distinguish between the purpose of an action and the quality of its content.
Conclusion: Speeches made by political candidates are untrustworthy and driven by self-interest.
Reasoning: The primary goal of a politician delivering a speech is to win an election.
Analysis: The flaw here is the assumption that a person's motives dictate the truthfulness or reliability of their statements. While it is true that politicians want to get elected, that doesn't logically prove that their promises are 'unreliable' or that the content of the speech is purely selfish. A candidate might make a reliable promise specifically because they believe it is the best way to get elected. Look for an answer that points out the argument's failure to distinguish between the purpose of an action and the quality of its content.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage23.Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the argument above?
Correct Answer
D
D correctly identifies the flaw: the argument assumes that because the promises are made with an ulterior (selfish) motive, they must be unreliable, ignoring that a promise can be reliable despite such a motive.
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