LSAT Explanation PT 45, S1, Q20: Reviewer: Many historians claim, in their

LSAT Question Stem

The reviewer's reasoning is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Flaw question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is D. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

The question type for this problem is a Flaw, which means we are asked to identify a weakness in the reviewer's reasoning. Let's first break down the argument in the passage.

Premise: Many historians claim to be as objective as natural scientists.

Premise: There are instances of false historical explanations embodying the ideological and other prejudices of their authors.

Conclusion: We cannot accept historians' proclamations of objectivity.

The argument's structure is based on the existence of false historical explanations to refute the objectivity claims of many historians. However, the argument does not establish that these false explanations are from the same historians who claim objectivity. This is a gap in the reasoning.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be: "Do the false historical explanations embodying prejudices come from the same historians who claim objectivity?"

Now let's analyze the answer choices:

a) The passage does not assume that the natural sciences' model of objectivity should apply to other fields. The reviewer is merely addressing historians' claims of objectivity, not making a judgment on other fields.

b) The evidence provided does not undermine the conclusion; it just fails to establish a strong connection between the false historical explanations and the historians claiming objectivity. The evidence is not compelling but does not contradict the conclusion.

c) This answer choice is irrelevant because it does not address the gap in the reviewer's reasoning. Whether or not historians use specific methodologies to uncover and compensate for prejudices, the argument's weakness lies in the lack of connection between the false explanations and the historians claiming objectivity.

d) This is the correct answer choice. The reviewer's reasoning is vulnerable to criticism because it assumes that some of the false historical explanations embodying prejudices come from the same historians who claim objectivity. The passage does not provide evidence for this assumption, creating a gap in the argument.

e) This answer choice does not point out a flaw in the reviewer's argument. The reviewer's argument is not built on the premise that all historical explanations embodying ideological prejudices are false; it only claims that some are. Therefore, acknowledging that not all such explanations are false does not weaken the argument.

In summary, the correct answer is (d), as it identifies the key weakness in the reviewer's reasoning: the assumption that some of the false historical explanations embodying prejudices come from the historians who claim objectivity.