LSAT Explanation PT 25, S4, Q16: Essayist: Wisdom and intelligence are desirable

LSAT Question Stem

If the essayist's statements are true, then each of the following could be true EXCEPT: 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Must Be False question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is D. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

This question is a "Must Be False" (MBF) type, which means we are looking for an answer choice that cannot be true based on the statements in the passage. The passage discusses the qualities of wisdom and intelligence and the essayist's experience with people possessing one or the other quality, but not both. Let's analyze each answer choice to see which one must be false:

a) Most people are neither intelligent nor wise.

This answer choice could be true, as the essayist's experience is limited and doesn't provide information about "most people." We cannot conclude that this statement is false based on the passage.

b) Most people are both intelligent and wise.

Similar to answer choice (a), this statement could be true since the essayist's experience is limited and doesn't provide information about "most people." We cannot conclude that this statement is false based on the passage.

c) No one is both wise and intelligent.

This answer choice could be true, as the essayist's experience only states that the people they've met have one quality or the other, but not both. It's possible that no one possesses both qualities. We cannot conclude that this statement is false based on the passage.

d) No one is either wise or intelligent.

This answer choice must be false based on the passage. The essayist explicitly states that they have met people who possess one of the qualities (either wise or intelligent). Thus, there must be at least one person who is either wise or intelligent, making this statement false.

e) Many people are intelligent and yet lack wisdom.

This statement could be true, as it aligns with the essayist's experience of meeting people who have one quality but not the other. We cannot conclude that this statement is false based on the passage.

Based on our analysis, the correct answer is (d) because it must be false according to the essayist's statements in the passage.