LSAT Explanation PT 19, S4, Q10: Audiences find a speaker more convincing

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following, if true, most seriously limits the effectiveness of adopting the argument's recommendation? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Weaken question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is A. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

In the passage, the argument states that audiences find a speaker more convincing if the speaker begins by arguing briefly against their position before providing reasons for accepting it. This technique is effective because it makes the speaker appear fair-minded and trustworthy. The conclusion of the argument is that candidates for national political office who wish to be successful in winning votes should use this argumentative technique in their speeches.

The structure of the argument is as follows:

Premise: The technique of arguing against one's position makes the speaker appear fair-minded and trustworthy.

Conclusion: Candidates for national political office should use this technique to be successful in winning votes.

The question type is Weaken, which means we need to find an answer choice that, if true, would most seriously limit the effectiveness of adopting the argument's recommendation.

Let's evaluate each answer choice:

a) Political candidates typically have no control over which excerpts from their speeches will be reported by the news media.

This answer choice weakens the argument because if candidates have no control over which excerpts are reported, then the news media could potentially only report the parts where the candidate argues against their position, making the technique less effective. This is the correct answer.

b) Many people do not find arguments made by politicians convincing, since the arguments are often one-sided or oversimplify the issues.

This answer choice doesn't directly weaken the argument, as it doesn't address the effectiveness of the recommended technique. It only states that people may not find politicians' arguments convincing in general.

c) People decide which political candidate to vote for more on the basis of their opinions of the candidate's character than on the exact positions of the candidate.

This answer choice could be seen as strengthening the argument, as the technique is said to make the speaker appear more trustworthy, which could influence people's opinions of the candidate's character. It doesn't weaken the argument.

d) People regard a political candidate more favorably if they think that the candidate respects an opponent's position even while disagreeing with it.

This answer choice also strengthens the argument, as the recommended technique involves acknowledging the opposing position before arguing for the candidate's position. It doesn't weaken the argument.

e) Political candidates have to address audiences of many different sizes and at many different locations in the course of a political campaign.

This answer choice is irrelevant to the argument, as it doesn't address the effectiveness of the recommended technique. It neither strengthens nor weakens the argument.

In conclusion, the correct answer is A, as it weakens the argument by pointing out that the news media's reporting of the speeches could potentially undermine the effectiveness of the recommended technique.