LSAT Explanation PT 23, S3, Q16: Magazine article: Punishment for crimes is

LSAT Question Stem

The reasoning in the magazine article's argument is flawed because the argument 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Flaw question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is C. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

The question type for this problem is "Flaw," which means we'll need to identify the flaw in the reasoning of the magazine article's argument.

Let's first break down the argument in the passage. The structure of the argument is as follows:

1. Premise: Punishment for crimes is justified if it actually deters people from committing them.

2. Premise: A great deal of carefully assembled and analyzed empirical data show clearly that punishment is not a deterrent.

3. Conclusion: So, punishment is never justified.

Now, let's analyze the argument. The first premise establishes a conditional relationship using the sufficient condition indicator "if." This creates the following relationship:

- If punishment deters people from committing crimes (sufficient condition), then punishment is justified (necessary condition).

The second premise states that punishment does not deter people from committing crimes. When we put these two premises together, the magazine article commits a classic Mistaken Reversal error. Just because the sufficient condition (punishment deters crimes) does not occur, it doesn't mean we can conclude that the necessary condition (punishment is justified) does not occur.

Now that we've identified the flaw in the argument, let's evaluate each answer choice:

a) The argument does not depend on biased data. In fact, the passage states that the data is "carefully assembled and analyzed empirical data." So, this answer choice is incorrect.

b) The meaning of the key term "punishment" remains consistent throughout the passage. Therefore, this answer choice is incorrect.

c) This answer choice correctly identifies the flaw in the argument. The magazine article mistakes being sufficient to justify punishment (punishment deters crimes) for being required to justify it. This is the correct answer choice.

d) The issue of mistakenly punishing the innocent is not addressed in the argument, and it is not a flaw in the argument. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

e) The argument does not attempt to be more precise than its subject matter properly allows. The conclusion is about whether punishment is justified, and the premises are related to this topic. Therefore, this answer choice is incorrect.

So, the correct answer choice is (c), as it accurately identifies the flaw in the argument's reasoning.