Logical reasoning PrepTest 118 · Section 1 · Question 15

Incorrect. This answer talks about work that becomes popular after a writer's death, not works that are released after the writer's death, so it doesn't directly address the advice.

Incorrect. The advice is just about manuscripts, not correspondence, so this answer is out of scope.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Weaken

Stimulus Summary:
A writer's heirs often publish works, and some of these the writer wouldn't want published. So a writer should immediately burn anything they write that they don't want published.

Answer Anticipation:
There's a key word in the conclusion here—"immediately." That establishes a timeline for action, and we know that timelines on the LSAT frequently impact the logic of the argument.

Here, the Critic recommends "immediately" burning any manuscript that is deemed unworthy so that one's heirs can't publish it posthumously. However, it's never established that this action needs to be taken so quickly—in fact, it only has to be taken before the author dies. Additionally, there's always the chance that the author will change their mind over time. Any answer that brings up these timeline considerations will undermine the Critic's advice.

Answer Explanation:
This answer calls into question whether writers should "immediately" destroy works that they dislike. If they're unnecessarily harsh and might come to like the writing over time, they should probably go through a cooling-off period before making any rash judgments about destroying their works.

Key Takeaway:
Pay attention to words that highlight a timeline for something! They frequently control the logic of the argument, often leading directly to a correct answer.

Incorrect. This answer, in only talking about "many" of these posthumously published books, doesn't necessarily address the ones that the writers disliked.

Incorrect. The advice in the stimulus relies on the judgment of the author, not the heirs, so this answer is out of scope.