LSAT Explanation PT 39, S4, Q15: Ruth: To become a politician, a

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the reasoning in Stephanie's response to Ruth's statements? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Flaw question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is C. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

In this passage, we have an argument between Ruth and Stephanie. Ruth claims that to become a politician, a person should be required to have a diversity of experience, as it helps them understand the need for compromise. Stephanie responds by saying that having varied experience is not enough to be worthy of public trust, which is a different issue than what Ruth was discussing. The structure of the argument is as follows:

Ruth's Premise: A diversity of experience helps one understand the need for compromise.

Ruth's Conclusion: To become a politician, a person should be required to have a diversity of experience.

Stephanie's response is a flawed rebuttal to Ruth's argument, as it addresses a different issue (public trust) and misinterprets Ruth's claim.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be: "Is Ruth claiming that a diversity of experience is sufficient for being a politician, or is she only saying it is necessary?"

The question type is Flaw, and we are asked to identify the flaw in Stephanie's reasoning.

a) This answer choice is incorrect because Stephanie's response is not the opposite of Ruth's position. Instead, she misinterprets Ruth's argument and addresses a different issue (public trust).

b) This answer choice is incorrect because Stephanie does not claim that experience is not beneficial to the practice of politics. She only argues that having varied experience is not enough to be worthy of public trust.

c) This is the correct answer. Stephanie's response attributes to Ruth a view that she did not express, making it more vulnerable to criticism. Ruth argued that a diversity of experience is necessary for becoming a politician, while Stephanie assumes that Ruth is saying it is sufficient for being worthy of public trust.

d) This answer choice is incorrect because the distinction between personal and professional experience is not relevant to the flaw in Stephanie's response.

e) This answer choice is incorrect because Stephanie's response does not assume that flexibility is unimportant in the practice of politics. Her argument is focused on the issue of public trust, not the importance of flexibility.

In summary, the flaw in Stephanie's response lies in her misinterpretation of Ruth's argument and her focus on a different issue (public trust). The correct answer is C, as it accurately describes this flaw.