LSAT 103 – Section 2 – Question 08

LSAT 103 - Section 2 - Question 08

September 1998

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT103 S2 Q08
+LR
Main conclusion or main point +MC
Conditional Reasoning +CondR
A
93%
167
B
0%
172
C
4%
158
D
1%
154
E
2%
161
136
144
153
 +Medium 149.468 +SubsectionMedium

Sociologist: The welfare state cannot be successfully implemented because it rests on the assumption that human beings are unselfish—a seemingly false assumption. The welfare state is feasible only if wage earners are prepared to have their hard-earned funds used to help others in greater need, and that requires an unselfish attitude. But people innately seek their own well-being, especially when the interests of others threaten it.

Summarize Argument
The author claims that the welfare state is not feasible. They explain this claim by saying that the welfare state rests on the false assumption that people are unselfish. We know that the welfare state rests on this assumption because it can only work if wage-earners will let their money be used to help those who need it more, which requires unselfishness. We know that the assumption of unselfishness is false because people innately focus on their own benefit, especially when that benefit is threatened by other people’s interests.

Identify Conclusion
The conclusion is the author’s assertion that the welfare state won’t work: “The welfare state cannot be successfully implemented.”

A
The welfare state will not work.
This accurately paraphrases the conclusion. Everything else in the argument supports the claim that the welfare state “cannot be successfully implemented,” meaning that it won’t work.
B
The welfare state unfairly asks those who work hard to help those in greater need.
The author does not claim that it is unfair to ask hard-working people to help others in greater need. According to the author, people may not want to help, but fairness is never mentioned.
C
The assumption that human beings are unselfish is false.
This is a sub-conclusion or major premise in the argument, not the main conclusion. This claim is supported by the statement that “people innately seek their own well-being”, but in turn this claim supports the main conclusion that the welfare state is not viable.
D
The interests of the less fortunate impinge on the interests of others.
This is not a claim the argument supports. The suggestion that some people’s interests may threaten other people’s interests emphasizes the claim that people are not selfish, but is not supported by anything else.
E
The welfare state relies on the generosity of wage earners.
This claim is not supported by the rest of the argument. Instead, it supports the idea that the welfare state requires people to be unselfish, which helps lead to the main conclusion.

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LSAT PrepTest 103 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Reading Comprehension

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