LSAT 142 – Section 4 – Question 14

LSAT 142 - Section 4 - Question 14

December 2014

You need a full course to see this video. Enroll now and get started in less than a minute.

Target time: 1:23

This is question data from the 7Sage LSAT Scorer. You can score your LSATs, track your results, and analyze your performance with pretty charts and vital statistics - all with a Free Account ← sign up in less than 10 seconds

Question QuickView	Type	Tags	Answer Choices	Curve	Question Difficulty	Psg/Game/S Difficulty	Explanation
PT142 S4 Q14	+LR	Method of reasoning or descriptive +Method Rule-Application +RuleApp	A 74% 165 B 4% 159 C 2% 157 D 7% 158 E 13% 162	134 149 163	+Medium	147.564 +SubsectionMedium

Journalist: It is unethical for journalists to lie—to say something untrue with the purpose of deceiving the listener—to get a story. However, journalists commonly withhold relevant information in interviews in order to elicit new information. Some argue that this, like lying, is intentional deception and therefore unethical. However, this argument fails to recognize the distinction between failing to prevent a false belief and actively encouraging one. Lying is unethical because it actively encourages a false belief.

Summarize Argument: Counter-Position

The journalist implicitly concludes that some people’s argument— that journalists are acting unethically when they withhold information to elicit new information because this practice is like lying— should be rejected. She supports this by saying that this argument overlooks the distinction between not preventing a false belief and actively encouraging a false belief, and that lying is unethical for the latter reason.

Describe Method of Reasoning

The journalist counters others’ argument by highlighting a key difference between lying and withholding information. She argues that this distinction invalidates their comparison and thus also invalidates their conclusion.

pointing out a difference between the two cases being compared in order to show that a conclusion based on their similarities should not be drawn

The journalist points out a difference between the two cases being compared: lying actively encourages a false belief, while withholding information simply doesn’t prevent a false belief. She uses this to show that a conclusion based on the cases’ similarities shouldn't be drawn.

defending what the journalist considers a controversial distinction by offering an example of a clear instance of it

The journalist’s conclusion isn’t about defending the distinction between lying and withholding information. Instead, she uses this distinction to counter others’ argument. Also, she never claims that the distinction is controversial, nor does she offer an example of it.

defining a concept and then showing that under this definition the concept applies to all of the cases under discussion

The journalist defines lying, but she claims that lying does not apply to all the cases under discussion. Specifically, it doesn’t apply to journalists who withhold information in interviews in order to elicit new information.

appealing to a counterexample to undermine an ethical principle that supports an argument the journalist is trying to refute

The journalist does refute an argument, but she doesn’t do so by appealing to a counterexample to undermine the ethical principle of lying. She accepts that it’s unethical for journalists to lie to get a story; she just disagrees that withholding information is like lying.

clarifying and defending a moral principle by comparing a case in which it applies to one in which it does not apply

The journalist compares a case in which the moral principle of lying applies (journalists lying to get a story) to one in which it doesn’t apply (journalists withholding information). However, she doesn’t do so to defend the moral principle, but to undermine others’ argument.

LSAT 142 – Section 4 – Question 14

LSAT 142 - Section 4 - Question 14

You need a full course to see this video. Enroll now and get started in less than a minute.

Take PrepTest

Review Results

LSAT PrepTest 142 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Reading Comprehension

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

Leave a Reply Cancel