LSAT Explanation PT 34, S3, Q20: Critic: Political utility determines the popularity

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following statements, if true, most weakens the critic's argument? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Weaken question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is A. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

The argument in the passage can be broken down as follows:

Premise 1: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor.

Premise 2: In authoritarian societies, the society-as-body metaphor is pervasive.

Conclusion: The society-as-body metaphor promotes greater acceptance of authoritarian repression than do other metaphors, such as likening society to a family.

The question type is a Weaken question, which means we need to find the answer choice that weakens the critic's argument.

Let's evaluate the answer choices:

a) In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a family is just as pervasive as the society-as-body metaphor.

This answer choice weakens the argument because it shows that the society-as-family metaphor, which is supposed to have less political utility, is just as pervasive as the society-as-body metaphor. This suggests that there might be other factors, besides political utility, that determine the popularity of a metaphor. This is the correct answer.

b) Every society tries to justify the legitimacy of its government through the use of metaphor.

This answer choice does not weaken the argument because it does not address the relationship between political utility and the popularity of a metaphor. It simply states that all societies use metaphors to justify their governments, but it doesn't tell us whether the society-as-body metaphor is more effective at promoting authoritarian repression than other metaphors.

c) The metaphor of society as a human body is sometimes used in nonauthoritarian societies.

This answer choice is too weak to weaken the argument. The fact that the metaphor is sometimes used in nonauthoritarian societies does not show that it is popular or effective in promoting authoritarian repression in those societies. It also doesn't address the comparison between the society-as-body metaphor and other metaphors, like the society-as-family metaphor.

d) Authoritarian leaders are always searching for new metaphors for society in their effort to maintain their power.

This answer choice is irrelevant to the argument, as it does not address the relationship between political utility and the popularity of a metaphor. It simply states that authoritarian leaders search for new metaphors, but it doesn't tell us whether the society-as-body metaphor is more effective at promoting authoritarian repression than other metaphors.

e) The metaphor of society as a human body governed by a head is rarely used in liberal democracies.

This answer choice is also irrelevant to the argument, as it does not address the relationship between political utility and the popularity of a metaphor in authoritarian societies. The fact that the metaphor is rarely used in liberal democracies does not tell us whether it is more effective at promoting authoritarian repression than other metaphors in authoritarian societies.

In conclusion, the correct answer is A, as it weakens the argument by showing that a metaphor with less political utility (the society-as-family metaphor) is just as pervasive as the society-as-body metaphor, suggesting that there might be other factors that determine the popularity of a metaphor.