Most people acknowledge that not all governments have a moral right to govern and that there are sometimes morally legitimate reasons for disobeying the law, as when a particular law prescribes behavior that is clearly immoral. ββ ββ ββββ ββββββββ ββββββββ ββββ ββββ βββββ βββ βββββββ ββββββββββ βββ βββββ ββ ββββββββ βββ ββββ ββββ βββββββββ ββ βββββββ βββ βββ ββββββ ββ β ββββββ ββ ββββ ββ ββββββ ββββββ βββ βββ βββββ βββ βββββ ββ βββββββββ ββββ β βββββ ββββ ββ ββββ β βββ ββββββ βββββββ ββ ββ βββ ββββ βββ
Most people's perspective Β·Moral duty to obey law because it's law; some rare exceptions
Commentators' perspective Β·Reject PA because PA has 2 implications that are absurd
PA allegedly implies (1) all governments are morally equal, and (2) people are morally allowed to do whatever they want (kill people, commit fraud, etc.)
Deny implication 2 Β·PA doesn't have to think people can do whatever they want
People still have moral duties not to harm others (a duty that doesn't stem from law). Also, There's a moral duty to help others, which might justify supporting government policies/actions. And, there's a moral duty to follow laws if failing to follow them leads to harm.
Passage Style
Critique or debate
22.
The author's stance regarding the ββββββ ββ βββββββββββββ βββββββββ βββ ββββ ββββββββββ ββ βββββββββ ββ βββ ββ
Question Type
Authorβs attitude
Implied
This is an Inference question about the authorβs attitude toward PA. The author spends P2 and P3 defending PA against the commentators and reinforcing some of its key positions, so we can infer that he accepts at least some aspects of the theory.
a
ardent approval of ββββ βββββββ ββ βββ ββββββ
Unsupportedβ too strong. The author seems to approve of some aspects of the theory, but his approval isnβt βardent.β Also, we donβt know whether the passage even addresses most aspects of PA, so we canβt infer that the author approves of most aspects of the theory.
Supported. The author spends P2 and P3 defending PA against the commentatorsβ criticisms. He also reinforces some of its basic positionsβ that we can evaluate the morality of governments based on how much good or harm they cause, and that we have a moral duty to care for others. This suggests that the author accepts some of the basic positions of the theory.
Anti-supported. The commentators think that PA includes certain extreme viewsβ that all governments are morally equal, and that people are morally allowed to do whatever they want. The author does believe that the theory avoids these extreme views, but he isnβt pessimistic about it. Instead, he seems to approve of the theoryβs positions.
Anti-supported. Since the author spends P2 and P3 defending PA against the commentators and reinforcing some of its basic positions, we can infer that he actually accepts some of the central features of the theory.
Anti-supported. The commentators seem to dislike the logical consequences of PA, but the author spends P2 and P3 defending the theory and rejecting the commentatorsβ criticisms. We can infer that he actually accepts at least some aspects of the theory.
Difficulty
72% of people who answer get this correct
This is a moderately difficult question.
It is somewhat easier than other questions in this passage.
CURVE
Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right
25%141
152
75%163
Analysis
Authorβs attitude
Implied
Critique or debate
Law
Answer Popularity
PopularityAvg. score
a
20%
160
b
72%
164
c
2%
152
d
2%
151
e
4%
157
Question history
You don't have any history with this question.. yet!
You've discovered a premium feature!
Subscribe to unlock everything that 7Sage has to offer.
Hold on there, stranger! You need a free account for that.
We love that you want to get going. Just create a free account belowβit only takes a minuteβand then you can continue!
Hold on there, stranger! You need a free account for that.
We love that you came here to read all the amazing posts from our 300,000+ members. They all have accounts too! Just create a free account belowβit only takes a minuteβand then youβre free to discuss anything!
Hold on there, stranger! You need a free account for that.
We love that you want to give us feedback! Just create a free account belowβit only takes a minuteβand then youβre free to vote on this!
Subscribers can learn all the LSAT secrets.
Happens all the time: now that you've had a taste of the lessons, you just can't stop -- and you don't have to! Click the button.