LSAT Explanation PT 44, S4, Q7: Since empathy is essential for people

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Necessary Assumption 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 passage presents the following conditional argument:

Premise: Empathy is essential for people to follow moral codes that sometimes require them to ignore their own welfare to help others. (Moral codes ‚Üí Empathy)

Conclusion: Civilized society could not exist without empathy. (Civilized society ‚Üí Empathy)

The structure of the argument contains a premise and a conclusion, both of which involve the concept of empathy. To strengthen this argument, we need to find an assumption that connects moral codes and civilized society.

Now, let's consider an "Evaluate" question for this argument: "Does the existence of moral codes that require empathy lead to a civilized society?"

With this in mind, let's examine each answer choice:

a) Civilized society can exist only if there are people who are willing to at least sometimes ignore their own welfare to help others.

This answer choice is correct because it establishes the necessary link between moral codes and civilized society. It states that a civilized society depends on the existence of people who are sometimes willing to prioritize others' welfare over their own. Since we know that empathy is essential for following such moral codes, this assumption allows us to conclude that civilized society cannot exist without empathy.

b) Failure to empathize with other people usually leads to actions detrimental to civilized society.

This answer choice is incorrect because it introduces a causal relationship rather than a conditional one. Additionally, the passage only states that empathy is sometimes required, leaving open the possibility that civilized society can function without empathy most of the time.

c) If everyone in a society is sometimes willing to ignore his or her own welfare to help others, that society will be civilized.

This answer choice is incorrect because it reverses the conditional relationship in the argument. It presents a sufficiency condition (everyone being willing to ignore their own welfare) rather than a necessity condition (requiring empathy for a civilized society).

d) Moral codes that include the requirement that people disregard their own welfare in order to help others have arisen within some civilized societies.

This answer choice is incorrect because it does not establish a conditional link between moral codes and civilized society. It merely states a fact about the existence of certain moral codes within some societies.

e) People who feel empathy tend to ignore their own welfare for the sake of others.

This answer choice is incorrect because it describes a result of empathy rather than establishing a link between moral codes and civilized society.

In summary, the correct answer choice is (a), as it provides the necessary assumption to connect moral codes and civilized society, strengthening the argument that civilized society could not exist without empathy.