The end of an action is the intended outcome of the action and not a mere by-product of the action, and the end's val...
JS14December 13, 2014
Poorly worded?
I think the actual conclusion in C and choice A could have been worded a bit differently, because as I read it, the question itself is somewhat contradictory, as the last sentence (what the correct conclusion is derived from) implies or doesn't exclude the statement of A. To me it leaves room to reasonably interpret A as correct given its structure, while the first counterpoint is similar to saying A is wrong. I get that based on the statement A should be ruled out, but I think the passage/choices could be worded a bit better as to not be so simultaneously ambiguous and contradictory at the same time. Just my humble opinion. Sneaky, sneaky! Lol
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This is a real LSAT question written by LSAC. They are purposefully written in a way to trick you.
That being said, though you can infer answer choice (A), this is not a Must Be True question. This is a Main Point question. (A) is not the main point of the passage.
We know that the end of an action is the intended outcome, rather than a mere by-product. And we know that the only reason for the action is the end's value. Then we are told that not all end's values will justify any means. Further, we know that there is no end whose value will justify every means.
For these reasons, we conclude: "it is clear that nothing will justify a means except an end's value."
Reworded, the conclusion is: if a means is justified, then it is justified through an end's value.
This is what answer choice (C) is saying: "One can justify an action only by appeal to the value of its intended outcome."
You can access the other explanation of this question by clicking on the thread written on 4/22/14 (just click on the chat icon in the question and click on the other thread).
Hope that helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions.
