Flawed ReasoningDiff: Hardest
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: The author argues that because no one newspaper is perfect at telling every side of a story, we need multiple newspapers to make sure the public gets the full picture.
Conclusion: Every person ought to have access to more than one newspaper.
Reasoning: Important stories require coverage of all sides, and since no single newspaper covers every side of every story, a single-newspaper system would leave some stories inadequately covered.
Analysis: The argument suffers from a classic 'is-ought' gap; it moves from a factual observation about newspaper limitations to a moral prescription about what people should have. It also assumes that having multiple newspapers will actually solve the problem of missing perspectives. If every newspaper in town only covers the same 'side' of a story, having ten of them won't help you find the other side. Look for an answer that points out this assumption that multiple sources necessarily provide the diversity of coverage the author desires.
Conclusion: Every person ought to have access to more than one newspaper.
Reasoning: Important stories require coverage of all sides, and since no single newspaper covers every side of every story, a single-newspaper system would leave some stories inadequately covered.
Analysis: The argument suffers from a classic 'is-ought' gap; it moves from a factual observation about newspaper limitations to a moral prescription about what people should have. It also assumes that having multiple newspapers will actually solve the problem of missing perspectives. If every newspaper in town only covers the same 'side' of a story, having ten of them won't help you find the other side. Look for an answer that points out this assumption that multiple sources necessarily provide the diversity of coverage the author desires.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage22.Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the reasoning of the argument?
Correct Answer
A
A correctly identifies the flaw: the argument confuses a newspaper’s inability to cover all sides of every story with its inability to cover all sides of any important story. The premises allow that a newspaper might miss some stories, but not necessarily important ones, so the conclusion about important stories is not warranted.
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