Logical Reasoning · Flaw

PrepTest 154 · Section 2 · Question 12

Phase 1 (your first ~400 questions): read the guidance, then answer. No clock.

Step 1 · Pre-Question Guidance · read this first

Question type

Flaw

The one idea it tests

Beating a terrible alternative does not show the current way is fine.

The basic logic

The arguer defends a practice against the charge that it goes too far by pointing out how bad things would be with none of it at all. But the critic never asked for none; they asked for less. Comparing to an extreme option nobody proposed is the Only Two Doors flaw (and a bit of Scope Shift).

Tiny words that decide it

“too much”
“imagine”
“worse”
“not at all”

Playground logic

Frankie complains that Ms. Rivera gives way too much homework. Sharon fires back: imagine if there were no homework at all, nobody would learn anything! The patty only defeats a 'zero homework' option nobody suggested, so the top bun (stop complaining) does not follow. That is Only Two Doors.

Step 2 · The kid story

Too Much Homework

Frankie slammed his backpack on the lunch table. "Four worksheets tonight! Ms. Rivera gives way too much homework." Sharon put down her sandwich. "You're wrong to complain. Can you imagine if we had no homework at all? We'd forget everything. We'd all be back to counting on our fingers." Frankie blinked. "I didn't say no homework. I said too much." "Same thing," said Sharon. Priya poked a straw into her juice box. "It's not the same thing. Frankie wants a little less. Sharon is arguing against nothing at all. Zero homework being bad doesn't prove four worksheets is the right amount." Sharon frowned. Frankie grinned. Then Ms. Rivera walked by and assigned a fifth worksheet, which did not help anyone's argument.

Step 3 · Try the model question

Sharon: It is wrong to criticize Ms. Rivera for assigning too much homework. Just imagine how little we would learn if there were no homework at all.

Sharon's reasoning is flawed because it

Step 4 · The courtroom tale

The Case of the Loud Lighthouse

Residents sued, saying the lighthouse horn blasted far too often. Lawyer Holt for the town stood up. "Your Honor, imagine a coast with no horn at all! Ships smashing into rocks every night!" Mr. Whitfield adjusted his suspenders. "My clients never asked to remove the horn. They asked for fewer blasts on clear nights." The judge peered at Lawyer Holt. "Counsel, you have proven that no horn is worse than this horn. Nobody here suggested no horn." "But, Your Honor..." "Defending today's horn by beating an option nobody offered does not answer the complaint," said the judge. "Try again."

Step 5 · Work the real question

Open PrepTest 154, Section 2, Question 12 in your official copy from LSAC (for example in LawHub) and read it there.

Your answer

How to apply it

Name what the critic actually objected to: too much, not existing at all. Then see what alternative the arguer compares against. If it is an extreme option the critic never proposed, the flaw is a false choice between the current way and nothing. Pick the answer that describes defending the status quo by comparison to an unlikely or extreme alternative. Ignore answers about authority, tradition, or reversed causes unless the argument uses them.