June 2007 LSAT Question Explanations June 2007 - Sec 2 - LR...

June 2007 - Sec 2 - LR - Q7

Video Transcript:

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Question 7 - Ethicist: The most advanced kind of moral motivation is
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based solely on abstract principles. This form of motivation is in contrast with
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calculated self interest or the desire to adhere to societal norms and conventions.
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So argument or facts: And here we just have a statement of facts. So we proceed
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to the question stem and the questions stem tells us; the actions of which one of the
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following individuals exhibit the most advanced kind of moral motivation as
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described by the ethecist. So okay, let's go back to the passage here. What was the
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most advanced kind of moral motivation?
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Well the first sentence told us that it was based on abstract principles. So again
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it's the type based solely on abstract principles. This is in contrast with
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calculated self interest or the desire to adhere to societal norms and conventions.
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So you notice this is what we call an illustration question. Trying to find the person
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in the answer choices that most closely conforms to this idea of the most
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advanced kind of moral motivation that is based solely on abstract principles. So
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let's take a look at (A). Bobby contributed money to a local charity during a
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charity drive at work because he worried that not doing so would make him look stingy. It was
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worried that not doing so would make him look stingy. That is clearly out of self
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interest. That is not based on some abstract principle. So (A) does not follow. (B)
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Wes contributed money to a local charity during a charity drive out work because
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he believed that doing so would improve his employers opinion of him. And again you
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notice that is calculated self-interest. He had hoped it would improve his employer's opinion of him.
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So clearly self-interest not abstract principles. So (B) is out.
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(C) Donna's employers engaged in an illegal but profitable practice that caused
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serious damage to the environment.
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Donna did not report this practice to authorities out of fear that her employers would
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retaliate against her. Out of fear that her employers would retaliate against her. Again
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calculated self-interest. That is not an abstract principle so (C) would be
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eliminated.
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(D) Jadine's employers engaged in illegal but profitable practice that caused damage to
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the environment.
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Jadine reported this practice to authorities out of a belief that
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protecting the environment is always more important in monetary profit. So you
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notice she did because she believes that protecting the environment is
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always more important than monetary profit. And you notice that is clearly an abstract
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principle. So (D) would be the correct answer. But just making sure checking (E). Leigh's
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employers engaged in an illegal but profitable practice that caused serious damage to
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the environment.
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Leight reported this practice to authorities only because several colleagues had been
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pressuring her to do so. And you notice that is adherence to societal norms and
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conventions but not based on some abstract principle. So (E) is eliminated.