Logical reasoning PrepTest 151 · Section 3 · Question 7

Incorrect. This answer describes circular reasoning, which happens when a premise and conclusion state the same thing. That doesn't happen here.

Incorrect. The argument purports to offer a counterexample to the theory, not throw it out because it's purely hypothetical.

Incorrect. Close, but the inverse of the correct answer. The argument assumes that those who act in ways that don't benefit them didn't expect it to, not that those who acted in a beneficial way expected it to benefit them.

Incorrect. RCT states that people act only in a certain way. A single counterexample could disprove that—the argument doesn't need to analyze how many example fall on each side.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Errors in Reasoning

Stimulus Summary:
If RCT correct, then people only act to benefit themselves. But plenty of people do stuff that doesn't benefit them at all, so RCT must be wrong.

Answer Anticipation:
There's a key word in the stimulus here—expect. When the LSAT mentions a subjective assessment in a flawed argument (what people think, want, believe, expect, or say), there's a good chance the flaw is going to relate to jumping between it and reality, or an objective assessment. Here, one premise is about what people expect to happen, and the other is about what actually happens. People can act in a way that has no personal benefit, but they might expect that it will. That jump is the error in reasoning here.

Answer Explanation:
This answer is the expectations vs. reality answer choice we were expecting!

Key Takeaway:
When an Errors in Reasoning question mentions a subjective assessment, it's usually key to finding the correct answer.