LSAT Explanation PT 24, S3, Q4: M: The Greek alphabet must have

LSAT Question Stem

P's argument is vulnerable to which one of the following criticisms? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Flaw question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is E. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

First, let's analyze the passage. M presents the argument that the Greek alphabet was invented by someone who knew the Phoenician writing system and wanted to record Homeric epics to preserve the oral poetry tradition. This is the conclusion of M's argument. P counters this argument by pointing out that such an inventor would already know the epics and wouldn't need to write them down, and no one else could read them according to M's hypothesis. P's argument is a counter-argument to M's conclusion.

Now, let's create an "Evaluate" question for this argument: "Did the person who invented the Greek alphabet have the intention of teaching it to others?"

The question type for this LSAT problem is Flaw, which means we are looking for the flaw in P's argument.

Let's go through the answer choices:

a) This answer choice is not relevant to P's argument, as P's argument is about the purpose of writing down Homeric epics, not about the basis for the Greek alphabet. So, this choice is incorrect.

b) P's argument does not assume that the first text ever written in Greek was a Homeric poem. P's argument is about the purpose of writing down Homeric epics in the Greek alphabet, not about which text was written first. So, this choice is incorrect.

c) P's argument does not confuse the requirements for a complex oral tradition with the requirements of a written language. P's argument is about the purpose of writing down Homeric epics in the Greek alphabet, not about the requirements of oral tradition or written language. So, this choice is incorrect.

d) P's argument does not attempt to demonstrate the truth of a hypothesis by showing that it is possible. P's argument is actually trying to show that M's hypothesis is flawed, not trying to prove its truth. So, this choice is incorrect.

e) This answer choice correctly identifies the flaw in P's argument. P's argument overlooks the possibility that the person who invented the Greek alphabet did so with the intention of teaching it to others. If this were the case, then writing down the Homeric epics would not be pointless, as P argues, because others could learn the Greek alphabet and read the epics. This answer choice addresses the "Evaluate" question we created earlier and shows the flaw in P's argument. So, the correct answer is E.