Which one of the following statements most accurately characterizes a difference between the two passages?
Calebon April 23, 2020
Valid Arguments Example #2
How can we determine in this case that such a premise is false? Must we assume all cases are based on the real world? We are to assume the premise is true so why is this premise deemed false?
Reply
Create a free account to read and
take part in forum discussions.
In short, we should not assume that the questions are based on the real world. You will come across premises that seem ridiculous, or obviously incorrect in reality, but a valid argument can still be made based on them. Our job is not to determine the truth of a premise. Our job is to accept premises as true, and then decide if the conclusion follows from these premises.
In the example you are referring to, I believe Mehran was making this exact point. In the real world, there are two ways to defeat an argument. First is to show that it is based on a false premise. Second is to show that the conclusion does not follow from these premises. The LSAT is a test of the second method. For this purpose, we are to accept premises as true.
