Principle JustifyDiff: Hardest
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: If the laws against saying bad things are too tough, everyone will stay silent to avoid being sued. This actually hurts famous people because if no one is allowed to criticize them, their 'good' reputation doesn't actually mean anything.
Conclusion: Strict libel laws can ironically prevent public figures from ever establishing a truly good reputation.
Reasoning: Strong libel laws discourage people from saying anything negative about public figures due to the threat of litigation.
Analysis: The logic here relies on a specific definition of what makes a reputation 'good.' The author implies that a reputation is only valuable if it has survived the possibility of being tarnished. If the law creates a 'forced' politeness, we can't tell the difference between a saint and a scoundrel. To justify this, we need a principle stating that a good reputation requires the existence of an environment where negative information could have been shared but wasn't.
Conclusion: Strict libel laws can ironically prevent public figures from ever establishing a truly good reputation.
Reasoning: Strong libel laws discourage people from saying anything negative about public figures due to the threat of litigation.
Analysis: The logic here relies on a specific definition of what makes a reputation 'good.' The author implies that a reputation is only valuable if it has survived the possibility of being tarnished. If the law creates a 'forced' politeness, we can't tell the difference between a saint and a scoundrel. To justify this, we need a principle stating that a good reputation requires the existence of an environment where negative information could have been shared but wasn't.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage23.Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning in the argument?
Correct Answer
E
If public figures can have good reputations only if some other public figures have bad reputations, then once strong libel laws lead to no negative statements (and thus no bad reputations), it follows that it’s impossible for public figures to have good reputations—exactly the author’s conclusion.
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