- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 1079
- Joined: Jun 26, 2013
- Tue Oct 13, 2020 12:55 pm
#79997
Hi all!
@a19: Remember that on the LSAT, we are not concerned with what is true in the real world. Whether or not writing a memoir about a crime you committed is legal or whether you consider it immoral is wholly irrelevant as far as this question is concerned. We are only being asked to find an answer choice that conforms to the principle in the stimulus--we are not being asked to determine whether or not that principle is followed in the real world.
So we must focus on the logical reasoning of the principle. The principle states that the penalty for obtain funds fraudulently must completely offset any profit made from the use of those funds. Essentially, this principle is stating that one should not be able to profit off of their criminal acts. Which matches answer choice (E): convicted criminals should not be able to profit off of their criminal acts by publishing a memoir about their crimes. Again, whether criminals are permitted to do this in the real world is irrelevant. The stimulus author says that criminals should not be allowed to profit off of their crimes. Answer choice (E) matches the rule set forth by the stimulus author.
@anandamaia: Exactly!
@intent228: As discussed above, the main thrust of the stimulus is that people should not be able to profit off of their crimes; it doesn't necessarily have to only apply to repayment. But I agree that this can be a tricky question because the answer choice ends up matching that main element of the stimulus principle, without quite matching every other element. And sometimes what we prephrase ends up not quite being what they give us in the answer choices. In these instances, remember you shouldn't try to force an answer choice to match your prephrase. None of these answer choices are about repayment, so don't try to make any of them about repayment. Instead, broaden your understanding of what the underlying logic of the principle in the stimulus is and find the answer choice that best matches the stimulus out of the options you have been given. Answer choice (E) best matches the idea that criminals should not be permitted to profit off of their crimes and so it is the best answer.
Hope this helps!
Best,
Kelsey
@a19: Remember that on the LSAT, we are not concerned with what is true in the real world. Whether or not writing a memoir about a crime you committed is legal or whether you consider it immoral is wholly irrelevant as far as this question is concerned. We are only being asked to find an answer choice that conforms to the principle in the stimulus--we are not being asked to determine whether or not that principle is followed in the real world.
So we must focus on the logical reasoning of the principle. The principle states that the penalty for obtain funds fraudulently must completely offset any profit made from the use of those funds. Essentially, this principle is stating that one should not be able to profit off of their criminal acts. Which matches answer choice (E): convicted criminals should not be able to profit off of their criminal acts by publishing a memoir about their crimes. Again, whether criminals are permitted to do this in the real world is irrelevant. The stimulus author says that criminals should not be allowed to profit off of their crimes. Answer choice (E) matches the rule set forth by the stimulus author.
@anandamaia: Exactly!
@intent228: As discussed above, the main thrust of the stimulus is that people should not be able to profit off of their crimes; it doesn't necessarily have to only apply to repayment. But I agree that this can be a tricky question because the answer choice ends up matching that main element of the stimulus principle, without quite matching every other element. And sometimes what we prephrase ends up not quite being what they give us in the answer choices. In these instances, remember you shouldn't try to force an answer choice to match your prephrase. None of these answer choices are about repayment, so don't try to make any of them about repayment. Instead, broaden your understanding of what the underlying logic of the principle in the stimulus is and find the answer choice that best matches the stimulus out of the options you have been given. Answer choice (E) best matches the idea that criminals should not be permitted to profit off of their crimes and so it is the best answer.
Hope this helps!
Best,
Kelsey