LSAT Explanation PT 38, S1, Q8: Pundit: The only airline providing service

LSAT Question Stem

The pundit's reasoning is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it presumes, without providing justification, that 

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 argument in the passage. The pundit presents an argument against following the town officials' recommendation to use the airline's service more frequently. The structure of the argument is as follows:

Premise 1: Town officials recommend using the airline's service more frequently to prevent its discontinuation.

Premise 2: The same town officials recently drove to an out-of-town conference instead of flying.

Conclusion: There is no reason to comply with the town officials' recommendation.

Now, let's create an "Evaluate" question about the argument: "Does the town officials' choice of transportation for their out-of-town conference affect the validity of their recommendation?"

The question type of this problem is Flaw. We are asked to identify the unjustified presumption in the pundit's reasoning.

a) This answer choice addresses a possible assumption in the town officials' argument, not the pundit's argument. While it could be a concern for the town officials' recommendation, it doesn't affect the pundit's reasoning, which focuses on the officials' actions.

b) This answer choice is not necessarily assumed by the pundit. The pundit's argument is about the town officials' actions, not the airline's options. The pundit's argument would still hold even if there were other options for the airline.

c) This answer choice is out of scope for the pundit's argument. The source of the money used for the trip is not relevant to the pundit's reasoning, which focuses on the town officials' choice of transportation.

d) This answer choice, if anything, would hurt the pundit's argument. If ground transportation is usually no less expensive than airplane transportation, it would be harder to understand why the airline is struggling. However, the pundit's argument doesn't rely on this assumption.

e) Correct answer. The pundit's reasoning is vulnerable to criticism because it assumes that if the town officials did not follow their own advice, then their advice is not worth following. This is an unjustified presumption, as the validity of their recommendation may not depend on their personal actions.

In conclusion, the pundit's argument relies on the unjustified assumption that the town officials' actions determine the validity of their recommendation. This flaw is best represented by answer choice E.