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Exam LSAT Section 1 Logical Reasoning All Questions

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Exam LSAT Section 1 Logical Reasoning topic 1 question 110 discussion

Actual exam question from Test Prep's LSAT Section 1 Logical Reasoning
Question #: 110
Topic #: 1
[All LSAT Section 1 Logical Reasoning Questions]

All actions are motivated by self-interest, since any action that is apparently altruistic can be described in terms of self-interest. For example, helping someone can be described in terms of self-interest: the motivation is hope for a reward or other personal benefit to be bestowed as a result of the helping action.
Which one of the following most accurately describes an error in the argument's reasoning?

  • A. The term "self-interest" is allowed to shift in meaning over the course of the argument.
  • B. The argument takes evidence showing merely that its conclusion could be true to constitute evidence showing that the conclusion is in fact true.
  • C. The argument does not explain what is meant by "reward" and "personal benefit."
  • D. The argument ignores the possibility that what is taken to be necessary for a certain interest to be a motivation actually suffices to show that that interest is a motivation.
  • E. The argument depends for its appeal only on the emotional content of the example cited
Show Suggested Answer Hide Answer
Suggested Answer: B 🗳️
Getting the right answer to this question requires you to spot a scope shift. The author concludes that all actions are motivated by self-interest. Why? Because any action that is apparently altruistic can be described in terms of self-interest. As additional support, the author then gives an example of an altruistic act, and proceeds to describe it in terms of self-interest.
Do you see how this is a subtle scope shift? The author is using evidence of how an action might be described to support a conclusion of what is actually motivating the action. These two things are not identical. B. gets at this discrepancy. Just because it could be true that helping someone was motivated by self- interest, (in other words, you could describe it that way) doesnt mean that it is in fact true that the action was motivated by self-interest.
by [deleted] at March 9, 2025, 1:26 p.m.

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