#28 - Must Be True, Subject Perspective

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=11646)

The correct answer choice is (D)

The referenced discussion from the fourth paragraph of the passage can be found in lines 37-39: “Bentham argued that the character of evidence should be weighed and assessed by the jury: the alternative was to prefer ignorance to knowledge.” Bentham believed that hearsay and interested-party testimony should be allowed to be considered by the jury—to prohibit such, Bentham argued, was to show a preference for ignorance. Answer choice (D) fits this prephrase perfectly: it was the exclusion of relevant testimony that Bentham saw as a preference for ignorance.

[mab9178]

Hi,

"preference of" versus "preference to":

Had the question stem substituted the word "of" for the word "to," it would've been a completely entirely different question. Correct?

In other words, had the question been phrased as follows, "According to the fourth paragraph of the passage, what specifically does Bentham characterize as preference [TO] ignorance of knowledge," it would've, as the result of this word substitution ("to" for "of") been asking for what Bentham would like to establish as a rule of evidence, the answer to which would've been broadly speaking " the non-exclusion principle," and specifically speaking allowing the jury the determine/weigh the character of the otherwise would've been excluded evidence. Correct?

Thank You
Mazen

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Exactly Mazen. A preference "of" something is what that thing/person would prefer. A preference "to" something is what would be preferable to the original thing.

For example: A preference "of" my roommate is pizza for dinner.
Pasta is preferable "to" pizza for dinner.

"To" has the comparative aspect, while "of" describes the things that belong to a category.

Hope that helps!

[mab9178]

Thank You Rachael