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LSAT Preptest 149, Section 3, Question 15

"There is a popular view among literary critics..."

Explanation

The argument criticizes the view held by some literary critics about poem paraphrasing. It points out a contradiction: the same critics believe their own paraphrases of poems are accurate, which would imply that poems can be accurately paraphrased, thus their view that poetry cannot be accurately paraphrased is false. We are asked to find a weakness in this argument's reasoning.

A. The argument does not presuppose the falsity of the view it refutes but argues that the critics' own actions (creating what they consider accurate paraphrases) contradict their stated view.


B. There is no mention of the purpose of poems, whether for conveying information or expressing feelings, within the argument.


C. The argument does not discuss the utility of paraphrases to readers or what makes a paraphrase useful.


D. (Correct Response) The argument identifies a contradiction in the critics' views but does not provide justification for why one belief (that their paraphrases are accurate) should be favored over the original belief (that poems cannot be accurately paraphrased).


E. The argument does not hinge on the definition of "paraphrase"; it focuses on the critics' contradictory beliefs about the possibility of accurate paraphrasing.

The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism of option D. The critics' practice of paraphrasing is used to challenge their stated belief that paraphrasing cannot be accurate, but the argument does not justify why the critics' practice should be taken as more valid than their expressed belief.

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