Self-study
Can someone explain why it's not D? I was thinking in terms of the CS class-instance framework and so D seemed like the best one.. (groups = broader category/class while nations = instance or specific example of that broader category) I'm also just confused what 'instance' even means in LSAT terms.
2
3 comments
That's a clever trap answer, but it's wrong because the general conclusion in the first line is about being worthy of praise or blame, but the claim about nations is not about praise or blame. Thus, it isn't an instance of a group that cannot be worthy of praise or blame. For answer D to be correct, we would need to be looking at a statement like "nations, for example, cannot be blamed for the mistakes made by their leaders." Even better, an instance would be more specific, like "it would be wrong to praise Canada for their national health policy." I think your use of "example" in your question is the right one - an instance is an example, a particular case in which that thing occurred.
It's also not an instance of blameworthiness implying conscience, because it's not about blameworthiness, just about conscience.
Ask yourself why the author included that statement, and what other statement it relates to. Why tell us that nations do not have consciences? To connect to the claim that blameworthiness implies conscience. Why tell us that? To connect to the claim that groups cannot be worthy of praise or blame. And all of that is meant to support the conclusion in the final sentence.
Hm, not a tutor or anything but.... I think D is wrong because the claim that "nations do not have consciences" is not directly supporting the main conclusion ("Hence, any ascription of praise or blame to a group must be translated into some statement about individuals if we are to evaluate it properly").
You're right that "nations" is an instance of a "group", but that premise itself is supporting the intermediate conclusion ("Groups are not the type of entity that can be worthy of praise or blame.").
Premise 1: Nations don't have consciences
Premise 2: Families are not agents
Premise 3: Blameworthiness implies conscience and agency.
Intermediate Conclusion (supported by P1, P2, & P3): Groups are not the type of entity that can be worthy of praise or blame.
Main Conclusion (Supported by Intermediate Conclusion): Hence, any ascription of praise or blame to a group must be translated into some statement about individuals if we are to evaluate it properly.
That's my breakdown, following to see the answer since I'm curious if that's correct!
@elinaaa Perfect analysis of the stimulus! Well done!