LSAT Explanation PT 33, S3, Q7: Unlike newspapers in the old days,

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following, if true, would cast the most serious doubt on the conclusion? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Weaken question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is A. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

First, let's analyze the argument in the passage. The author is making a causal argument, which can be broken down into a premise and a conclusion:

Premise: Today's newspapers and televised news programs are full of stories about murders and assaults in our city.

Conclusion: Violent crime is now out of control, and one should not leave one's home except for absolute necessities to be safe from personal attack.

The question type for this problem is Weaken, meaning we need to find an answer choice that casts doubt on the conclusion or the relationship between the premise and the conclusion.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be: "Is there any other reason for the increased media coverage of violent crime besides an actual increase in violent crime?"

Now, let's discuss the answer choices:

a) Newspapers and televised news programs have more comprehensive coverage of violent crime than newspapers did in the old days.

This is the correct answer choice because it provides an alternative cause for the increased media coverage of violent crime: more comprehensive coverage. This means that there might not actually be more violent crime now than in the past; the media could simply be covering it more extensively, which would weaken the conclusion that violent crime is out of control.

b) National data show that violent crime is out of control everywhere, not just in the author's city.

This answer choice does not weaken the author's conclusion, as it actually supports the idea that violent crime is out of control. The focus of the conclusion is on the author's city, and this answer choice does not provide a reason to doubt the relationship between media coverage and actual violent crime rates.

c) Police records show that people experience more violent crimes in their own neighborhoods than they do outside their neighborhoods.

This answer choice is irrelevant to the argument, as it does not address the relationship between media coverage and actual violent crime rates. It provides information about where violent crimes occur but does not weaken the conclusion that violent crime is out of control.

d) Murder comprised a larger proportion of violent crimes in the old days than it does today.

This answer choice also does not weaken the author's conclusion, as it does not address the relationship between media coverage and actual violent crime rates. The proportion of murders within violent crimes is not relevant to whether violent crime is out of control or not.

e) News magazines play a more important role today in informing the public about crime than they did in the old days.

This answer choice does not weaken the author's conclusion, as it does not provide an alternative cause for the increased media coverage of violent crime. The importance of news magazines in informing the public about crime does not affect the relationship between media coverage and actual violent crime rates.

In summary, the correct answer choice is (a), as it provides an alternative cause for the increased media coverage of violent crime, which weakens the conclusion that violent crime is out of control.