<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>films – LSAT</title> <atom:link href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/tag/films/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat</link> <description>LSAT Course Offerings, LSAT Prep Courses, Tutoring & LSAT Practice Resources | Manhattan LSAT Prep</description> <lastBuildDate>Fri, 30 Aug 2019 17:12:08 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.2</generator> <item> <title>#MovieFailMondays: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Shinners]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2015 22:51:41 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Applications & Admissions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How To Study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Just for Fun]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Law School]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Logic Games]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Logical Reasoning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Strategies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movie Fail Mondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[best LSAT prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Conditional Statements]]></category> <category><![CDATA[films]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Harrison Ford]]></category> <category><![CDATA[implicit conditionals]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Indiana Jones]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law school admissions test]]></category> <category><![CDATA[logical fallacies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lsat movies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lsat prep help]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Strategy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[movie fail mondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[movie fails]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Perception vs. Reality Flaw]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sean Connery]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Temporal Fallacy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[unidirectional conditionals]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/?p=5495</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Each week, we analyze a movie that illustrates a logical fallacy you’ll find on the LSAT. Who said Netflix can’t help you study? 🎥📖 Indiana Jones – an amazing series of two movies that unfortunately also had two other films with the same name to dilute the awesomeness. Telling the tale of daring archaeologist Indiana Jones, the series follows his […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/">#MovieFailMondays: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat">LSAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><img decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-5503" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/11/blog-mfm-indianajones.png" alt="Blog-MFM-IndianaJones" width="676" height="264" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/11/blog-mfm-indianajones.png 676w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/11/blog-mfm-indianajones-300x117.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px" />Each week, we analyze a movie that illustrates a logical fallacy you’ll find on the LSAT. Who said Netflix can’t help you study? <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f3a5.png" alt="🎥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f4d6.png" alt="📖" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></em></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones">Indiana Jones</a> – a</span>n amazing series of two movies that unfortunately also had two other films with the same name to dilute the awesomeness.<span id="more-5495"></span></p> <p><img decoding="async" class="" src="//27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lh8ra34J5G1qztqsao1_500.jpg" alt="" width="660" height="497" />Telling the tale of daring archaeologist Indiana Jones, the series follows his pulp-style exploits in rescuing precious artifacts, historically significant items, and damsels in distress. With a smirk, bullwhip, and fedora, Indy single-handedly caused every child to consider a career in archaeology and Nazi-hunting (the former thwarted by a lack of jobs; the latter thwarted by a lack of Nazis).</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the first film, Indiana Jones manages to uncover the Ark of the Covenant and melt some Nazi faces. In the second, he travels back in time (or it was a prequel – I didn’t pay much attention, as it’s not as good as the others) to do something with a jewel. I’m a little fuzzy on the details. And finally, in the third movie, he discovers the resting place of the Holy Grail, which had thwarted knights, treasure seekers, and Monty Python for generations. And yes, finally – there was no other Indiana Jones movie after </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Last Crusade</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. *fingers in ears while saying La-La-La-La*</span></p> <p>In the final (Yes, final! Stop ruining my childhood!) film, Indiana Jones tracks his father down to rescue him from – you guessed it – Nazis searching for the Holy Grail. After a series of improbable stunts, escapes, and fights, the entire cast ends up in a temple in the middle of a chasm. Three riddles are given to pass the booby traps that protect the room holding the Grail.</p> <p>Thus enters our logical fallacies.</p> <p>Being a badass, Indiana Jones doesn’t commit a logical fallacy. Instead, he avoids three in surviving the traps. You didn’t think I was going to ruin this film, too, did you? George Lucas can do that just fine by himself.</p> <h3><strong>1. Only the penitent man will pass</strong></h3> <p> </p> <p><img decoding="async" src="//www.starling-fitness.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Three-Trials-from-Starling-Fitness.png" alt="" /></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first booby trap involved a series of blades meant to decapitate anyone who didn’t understand the riddle. Indiana Jones, however, quickly figured it out – if you are penitent, then you kneel. By waiting for the proper time and then taking a knee, Indy was able to overcome the first obstacle.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And, in doing so, he was able to properly equate to terms. A penitent man isn’t the same as a kneeling man, but a penitent man does kneel.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are similar ideas on the LSAT that overlap, conditionally, in one direction. For instance, if you win, we know you didn’t lose. But if you don’t lose, we don’t know that you won – you could have tied. Similarly, a kneeling man isn’t necessarily penitent (he could be a quarterback in a huddle), but if you’re penitent, then you kneel. Watch out for these <strong>implicit and unidirectional conditionals</strong> on the test!</span></p> <h3><strong>2. Only in the footsteps of God will he proceed</strong></h3> <p> </p> <p><img decoding="async" src="//www.starling-fitness.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Word-of-God-Name-from-Starling-Fitness.jpg" alt="" /></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A series of cobblestones with letters. An obscure phrase written in the diary of a Sean Connery. A hundreds-foot fall if you make a mistake. To most of us, this is death. To Indy, it’s just another day at the office.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Looking at the letters, Indy realized he would have to hop onto the tiles that spelled the name of God. And he almost made a mistake, jumping first onto a “J” (for Jehovah – seriously, watch the movie, it’s awesome).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But he quickly realized that he was committing a <strong>temporal fallacy</strong>, and he’d have to fix it. In modern spelling, the name starts with a “J”. However, back when the temple was made, it would have been an “I”. Realizing that things true today weren’t necessarily true in the past allowed Indy to survive the temple, and it’ll allow you to survive test day.</span></p> <h3><strong>3. Only in the leap from the lion’s head will he prove his worth</strong></h3> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A huge chasm. Yet another chance to plummet to his death. A fate almost as bad as being forced to star in a <a href="//www.imdb.com/title/tt0367882/">terrible film featuring aliens and fridge-based nuclear survival devices</a>.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indy realized that not everything is what it seems, however, and stepped out onto a hidden ledge that, thanks to a handy optical illusion, appeared invisible.</span></p> <p><img decoding="async" class="" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d2/Leapoffaith.jpg" alt="" width="667" height="556" /></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His “faith” was really just a recognition of the <strong>perception vs. reality flaw</strong> – just because people perceive something a certain way doesn’t make it true. This flaw commonly shows up on the LSAT when dealing with surveys asking about opinions – don’t fall for it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Also, don’t think this means you should step out into chasms because there might be a hidden path there. That’s a bad idea, and I won’t accept any liability for your actions in that regard.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A fedora. A whip. And an uncanny ability for avoiding flaw-based traps. Indy would have made a pretty impressive lawyer. <em><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f3a5.png" alt="🎥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f4d6.png" alt="📖" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></em></span></p> <p><iframe loading="lazy" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zhkXmaEYMl4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> <hr /> <p> </p> <p><em><strong><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-5255 size-thumbnail alignleft" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/07/matt-shinners-150x150.png" alt="matt-shinners" width="150" height="150" />Matt Shinners is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in New York City.</strong> After receiving a science degree from Boston College, Matt scored a 180 on his LSAT and enrolled in Harvard Law School. There’s nothing that makes him happier than seeing his students receive the scores they want to get into the schools of their choice. <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/classes/#instructor/61">Check out Matt’s upcoming LSAT courses here!</a></em></p> <p> </p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/">#MovieFailMondays: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat">LSAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>#MovieFailMondays: Primal Fear (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-primal-fear-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Shinners]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2015 22:05:14 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Applications & Admissions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How To Study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Just for Fun]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Law School]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Logic Games]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Logical Reasoning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Strategies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movie Fail Mondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[best LSAT prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[edward norton]]></category> <category><![CDATA[exclusivity fallacy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fallacy of exclusivity]]></category> <category><![CDATA[films]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law school admissions test]]></category> <category><![CDATA[logical fallacy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lsat movies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lsat prep help]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Strategy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[movie fail mondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[movie fails]]></category> <category><![CDATA[moviefailmondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[primal fear]]></category> <category><![CDATA[primal fear edward norton]]></category> <category><![CDATA[primal fear film]]></category> <category><![CDATA[richard gere]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/?p=5465</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Each week, we analyze a movie that illustrates a logical fallacy you’ll find on the LSAT. Who said Netflix can’t help you study? 🎥📖 Described on Wikipedia as a “neo-noir crime-thriller film”, with each of those terms hyperlinked to a relevant page, Gregory Hoblit’s 1996 film Primal Fear introduced the world to Ed Norton and made the world forget about Richard Gere’s turn […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-primal-fear-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/">#MovieFailMondays: Primal Fear (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat">LSAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-5466" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/10/mfm-primal-fear-blog-banner.png" alt="MFM_Primal Fear_Blog Banner" width="676" height="264" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/10/mfm-primal-fear-blog-banner.png 676w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/10/mfm-primal-fear-blog-banner-300x117.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px" />Each week, we analyze a movie that illustrates a logical fallacy you’ll find on the LSAT. Who said Netflix can’t help you study? <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f3a5.png" alt="🎥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f4d6.png" alt="📖" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></em></p> <p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primal_Fear_(film)" target="_blank">Described on Wikipedia</a> as a “neo-noir crime-thriller film”, with each of those terms hyperlinked to a relevant page, Gregory Hoblit’s 1996 film <a href="//www.imdb.com/title/tt0117381/" target="_blank">Primal Fear</a> introduced the world to <a href="//www.imdb.com/name/nm0001570/" target="_blank">Ed Norton</a> and made the world forget about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Gere" target="_blank">Richard Gere</a>’s turn as Lancelot in <a href="//www.imdb.com/title/tt0113071/" target="_blank">First Knight</a>, among other things.<span id="more-5465"></span></p> <p><iframe loading="lazy" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jQoIwmnnAOs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> <p>Primal Fear is the story of an opportunistic, fame-seeking lawyer Martin Vail (Gere) defending the altar boy Aaron Stampler (Norton) accused of murdering an Archbishop (played by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Anderson" target="_blank">Stanley Anderson</a> – yeah, we didn’t know that name either, but click the link and you’ll recognize him). We’re one pipe away from it being a game of Clue!</p> <p><iframe loading="lazy" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VIDincj-FIc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> <p>Because of the prominence of the victim, a lot of political posturing goes on around Chicago while the trial runs its course. <a href="//www.imdb.com/name/nm0001473/" target="_blank">Laura Linney</a>, taking a break from loving, actually, plays the prosecutor who is tasked with getting a conviction at all costs.</p> <p>While researching the case, Vail begins to unveil a scandal that both evokes sympathy for Stampler while providing him with a motive. As he confronts the accused with this evidence, a violent side of Stampler comes out, claiming to be Roy, another personality that developed because of years of abuse.</p> <p>As the trial goes on, a bunch of coincidences and contrivances allows Vail to force Roy out in open court, resulting in an eventual not guilty by reason of insanity verdict. Which, by our count, is the outcome in about 50% of all movie/TV trials (as opposed to in ~.2% of cases in the real world). Elated with the verdict and the treatment his client is to receive, Vail visits Aaron one last time. The façade slips, however, and Stampler reveals that Roy is the real personality – thus revealing Richard Gere’s logical fallacy!</p> <p>Vail fell for a classic <strong>exclusivity fallacy</strong>. Since he had more exposure to Aaron, and had met Aaron first, he assumed that that was the real personality. However, when we’re faced with two options on the LSAT, we can’t just assume that one is the default, even if the author puts it forward as the correct option.</p> <p>Each time we have to consider alternative explanations on the LSAT, we’re pointing out a reason that the author’s conclusion is flawed.</p> <p>So when Gere decided to believe Aaron as the “correct” personality, he was neglecting the other possibility, and thus getting a murderer acquitted without good reason.</p> <p>Let that be a lesson to all of you future defense attorneys! And also for anyone watching an Ed Norton film. <em><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f3a5.png" alt="🎥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f4d6.png" alt="📖" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></em></p> <hr /> <p><em><strong><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-5255 size-thumbnail alignleft" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/07/matt-shinners-150x150.png" alt="matt-shinners" width="150" height="150" />Matt Shinners is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in New York City.</strong> After receiving a science degree from Boston College, Matt scored a 180 on his LSAT and enrolled in Harvard Law School. There’s nothing that makes him happier than seeing his students receive the scores they want to get into the schools of their choice. <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/classes/#instructor/61">Check out Matt’s upcoming LSAT courses here!</a></em></p> <p> </p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-primal-fear-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/">#MovieFailMondays: Primal Fear (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat">LSAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>#MovieFailMondays: The Martian (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-the-martian-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Shinners]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2015 20:16:41 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Applications & Admissions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How To Study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Just for Fun]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Law School]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Logic Games]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Logical Reasoning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Strategies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movie Fail Mondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[PrepTests]]></category> <category><![CDATA[best LSAT prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[comparison flaw]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fallacy of comparison]]></category> <category><![CDATA[false comparison]]></category> <category><![CDATA[films]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law school admissions test]]></category> <category><![CDATA[logical fallacies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lsat movies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lsat prep help]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Strategy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[movie fail mondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[movie fails]]></category> <category><![CDATA[moviefailmondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[the martian]]></category> <category><![CDATA[the martian film]]></category> <category><![CDATA[the martian matt damon]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/?p=5436</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Each week, we analyze a movie that illustrates a logical fallacy you’ll find on the LSAT. Who said Netflix can’t help you study? 🎥📖 Since we covered Gravity a few weeks ago, we figured we should also cover its sequel, The Martian. Released initially as a serial, and then as a novel in 2011, Andy Weir’s Castaway in Space (you […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-the-martian-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/">#MovieFailMondays: The Martian (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat">LSAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-5438" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/10/blog-mfm-themartian.png" alt="Blog-MFM-TheMartian" width="676" height="264" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/10/blog-mfm-themartian.png 676w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/10/blog-mfm-themartian-300x117.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px" /><em>Each week, we analyze a movie that illustrates a logical fallacy you’ll find on the LSAT. Who said Netflix can’t help you study? <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f3a5.png" alt="🎥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f4d6.png" alt="📖" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></em></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since we covered </span><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/2015/10/05/moviefailmondays-gravity-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gravity</span></i></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> a few weeks ago, we figured we should also cover its sequel, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="//www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/">The Martian</a></span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span><span id="more-5436"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Released initially as a serial, and then as a novel in 2011, Andy Weir’s </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="//www.imdb.com/title/tt0162222/">Castaway</a> in Space</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (you know that’s how it was sold in Hollywood) tells the harrowing tale of Mark Watney, an astronaut stranded on Mars in the aftermath of an intense Mars-storm. After seeing Watney (played by Matt Damon) hit by a piece of debris, his fellow astronauts (played by Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sebastian Shaw, Jessica Chastaine) leave him on the red planet for dead. Their long, slow trip home is relegated to a B plot, though Kate Mara does get more screen time than she did in a movie where she was one of the titular Fantastic Four.</span></p> <p>If this was a Tarantino film, Watney would find his way back to Earth and go on a revenge killing spree, taking out the astronauts who left him behind, and, probably, all of NASA. I’d go see it.</p> <p><iframe loading="lazy" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x9iIKn1Bl6c?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> <p>But, since it was written by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Weir_(writer)">a computer scientist who grew up with an astrophysicist father</a>, instead we get a 2-hour science lecture that somehow manages to keep us on the edges of our seats – probably because Drew Goddard and Ridley Scott removed all of the calculations Watney used to keep himself alive.</p> <p>The movie has been generally lauded for a large amount of scientific accuracy. And surely I’m not going to nitpick a science fail instead of a logic fail, right, dear audience?</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Oh, how little you know me.</em> In this case, the science fail </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">is </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">also a failure of logic.</span></p> <p>One of the biggest threats to Watney – one that he mentions throughout the movie – is the lack of atmosphere on Mars; there’s nothing to keep the radiation out or the heat in – no air to breath. It even plays a pivotal role in the climax of the film.</p> <p>And yet, somehow, the entire movie kicks off with a terrifying storm that has hurricane-level winds and almost wrecks their ride home.</p> <p><em>Huh?</em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can’t have it both ways, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Martian</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">! Either the atmosphere is thick enough to generate devastatingly powerful winds, or it’s too thin to create any of the problems presented in the film.</span></p> <p><strong>Which flaw is this related to?</strong></p> <p>Well, audience, by glossing over this detail in our suspension of disbelief, we committed a <strong>comparison flaw</strong>. We knew there was almost no atmosphere on the planet – <a href="//www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/fullcredits/">all of the pretty scientists</a> told us so! But we also know storms on Earth can do some major damage. Despite knowing that Mars and Earth are different, we carried our beliefs about storms on Earth with us on our cinematic journey to Mars.</p> <p>On the LSAT, be careful when the exam tries to get your knowledge of one thing to apply in a situation it claims is analogous. There are usually significant differences between these things being compared, and this will often be used on the exam to create a flawed argument. It also shows up in incorrect <span style="font-weight: 400;">Inference-question answers, so be careful when considering an answer that compares two things. <em><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f3a5.png" alt="🎥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f4d6.png" alt="📖" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></em></span></p> <hr /> <p><em><strong><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-5255 size-thumbnail alignleft" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/07/matt-shinners-150x150.png" alt="matt-shinners" width="150" height="150" />Matt Shinners is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in New York City.</strong> After receiving a science degree from Boston College, Matt scored a 180 on his LSAT and enrolled in Harvard Law School. There’s nothing that makes him happier than seeing his students receive the scores they want to get into the schools of their choice. <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/classes/#instructor/61">Check out Matt’s upcoming LSAT courses here!</a></em></p> <p> </p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-the-martian-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/">#MovieFailMondays: The Martian (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat">LSAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>#MovieFailMondays: Scream (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-scream-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Shinners]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2015 22:36:03 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Applications & Admissions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How To Study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Just for Fun]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Law School]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Logical Reasoning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Strategies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movie Fail Mondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[best LSAT prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[films]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law school admissions test]]></category> <category><![CDATA[logical fallacies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lsat prep help]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Strategy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[movie fails]]></category> <category><![CDATA[moviefailmondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[scream film]]></category> <category><![CDATA[scream movie]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/?p=5385</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Each week, we analyze a movie that illustrates a logical fallacy you’ll find on the LSAT. Who said Netflix can’t help you study? Before Dawson’s Creek, The Following, and Scream 2, Kevin Williamson forged a name for himself with the classic horror film, Scream. Released in 1996, Scream told the tale of a series of grisly murders in Woodsboro, California. […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-scream-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/">#MovieFailMondays: Scream (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat">LSAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-5387" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/10/mfm-7-blog-scream1.png" alt="MFM 7-Blog-Scream" width="676" height="264" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/10/mfm-7-blog-scream1.png 676w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/10/mfm-7-blog-scream1-300x117.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px" /><em>Each week, we analyze a movie that illustrates a logical fallacy you’ll find on the LSAT. Who said Netflix can’t help you study? </em></p> <p>Before Dawson’s Creek, The Following, and Scream 2, Kevin Williamson forged a name for himself with the classic horror film, <a href="//www.imdb.com/title/tt0117571/">Scream</a>.<span id="more-5385"></span></p> <p>Released in 1996, Scream told the tale of a series of grisly murders in Woodsboro, California. Opening with the iconic scene where Drew Barrymore answers, “What’s your favorite scary movie?” before engaging in the most upsetting episode of Jeopardy! ever, the body count adds up as the killer, Ghostface (not to be confused with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghostface_Killah">Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah</a>), goes on a killing spree.</p> <p>Unlike most other horror movies, however, Scream has a sense of humor about the genre. The characters are self-aware and lampoon the tropes of the regular slasher film (while simultaneously falling pretty to them). They even discuss the three rules of surviving a horror film, which, ironically, are rather similar to the rules many people impose on themselves while prepping for the LSAT!</p> <p><iframe loading="lazy" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X-q-AWD_8AY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> <p>And while Wes Craven – the film’s director – is busy eviscerating the teenagers as is his wont, Kevin Williamson makes sure there’s enough humor to keep the film on the right side of satire while still having a solid plot – and a huge reveal at the end!</p> <p>How did he manage to keep the whodunit aspect of the film going to the end? By playing off of two common logical fallacies – temporal flaws, and exclusivity flaws. Both are strongly related here. In the normal slasher flick, there’s only a single killer. Figuring out who it is usually involves slowly winnowing down the suspects, until only one person is left as the possible perpetrator. By introducing a second killer, Williamson made us fall for both of these flaws! One flavor of the exclusivity flaw is when it is assumed that there is only one possibility. By neglecting other options without ruling them out, many arguments on the LSAT fall into this flaw. Here, by neglecting to consider the possibility of multiple murderers (or, alternatively, by only considering the possibility of a single murderer), we all fell for this flaw. Even <a href="//www.imdb.com/name/nm0005085/">Jamie Kennedy</a>, who knew more about horror movies than anyone else, didn’t see it coming. And, similarly, this is related to a temporal flaw. When you assume that things will continue to conform to patterns they had in the past, you commit one type of temporal flaw. Just because things are usually done a certain way, doesn’t mean they’ll continue to fall into that pattern. Williamson changed up a central facet of many slasher films by splitting the murdering duties between two culprits.</p> <p>The takeaway in all of this? <strong>When answering questions on the LSAT, make sure that the argument is taking all possibilities seriously. </strong>Look out for arguments that settle on a single solution, when there might be more than one. And just because there is a trend in a particular direction doesn’t mean it will continue into the future.</p> <p>As for me, I’m done with this blog post for the day. But I’ll be right back…</p> <p>Want less entertaining, more academic resources to prepare for the LSAT? <a href="//www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/prep/">Click here</a>, or check out our <a href="//www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/classes/free/">upcoming trial classes</a>.</p> <hr /> <p><em><strong><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-5255 size-thumbnail" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/07/matt-shinners-150x150.png" alt="matt-shinners" width="150" height="150" />Matt Shinners is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in New York City.</strong> After receiving a science degree from Boston College, Matt scored a 180 on his LSAT and enrolled in Harvard Law School. There’s nothing that makes him happier than seeing his students receive the scores they want to get into the schools of their choice. <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/classes/#instructor/61">Check out Matt’s upcoming LSAT courses here!</a></em></p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-scream-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/">#MovieFailMondays: Scream (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat">LSAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>#MovieFailMondays: Gravity (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-gravity-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Shinners]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2015 22:26:27 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Applications & Admissions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How To Study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Just for Fun]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Law School]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Logical Reasoning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Strategies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movie Fail Mondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[best LSAT prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[films]]></category> <category><![CDATA[gravity film]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law school admissions test]]></category> <category><![CDATA[logical fallacies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lsat prep help]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LSAT Strategy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[movie fails]]></category> <category><![CDATA[moviefailmondays]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/?p=5331</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Each week, we analyze a movie that illustrates a logical fallacy you’ll find on the LSAT. Who said Netflix can’t help you study? 2013’s Gravity, also known as Neil Degrasse Tyson’s Film Fact Check, is a science fiction thriller from the mind of Alfonso Cuaròn. While not as scientifically rigorous as his earlier film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-gravity-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/">#MovieFailMondays: Gravity (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat">LSAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-5332 size-full" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/10/gravity-blog.png" alt="Gravity-Blog" width="676" height="264" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/10/gravity-blog.png 676w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/10/gravity-blog-300x117.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px" /></p> <p><em>Each week, we analyze a movie that illustrates a logical fallacy you’ll find on the LSAT. Who said Netflix can’t help you study? </em></p> <p>2013’s <em><a href="//www.imdb.com/title/tt1454468/">Gravity</a></em>, also known as <em>Neil Degrasse Tyson’s Film Fact Check</em>, is a science fiction thriller from the mind of Alfonso Cuaròn. While not as scientifically rigorous as his earlier film, <em>Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban</em> (NDT said, and we quote – “I have never seen a film with such obvious attention to scientific detail.”), Gravity did receive plaudits from the astrophysicist for the many things it got right.</p> <p>Sadly, logic wasn’t one of them.<span id="more-5331"></span></p> <p>There are two main fallacies at play in <em>Gravity:</em></p> <ol> <li><strong>George Clooney may be out of this world, but even he can’t orbit the planet.</strong></li> </ol> <p>After magnanimously detaching himself from Bullock to slowly float away, evincing a basic misunderstanding of physics, George Clooney is missing, presumed dead. As he flies off into the distance, Bullock realizes that she’s the only astronaut left, and we use that term lightly – she just became an astronaut for this mission only.</p> <p>Later in the movie, however, Clooney miraculously reappears to rouse Bullock from her hypoxia, convincing her to continue on.</p> <p>It doesn’t take long for Dr. Bullock to realize that she imagined the whole thing, thus having fallen for a common perception vs. reality fallacy: just because you believe something to be true doesn’t make it so. It’s important to note that, on the LSAT, falling for this fallacy usually results in the loss of a point – not surviving a space-based incident. Still, that would make a killer personal statement.</p> <ol start="2"> <li><strong>Sure, Sandra Bullock might have been a biomedical engineer…but I don’t trust her with my space station.</strong></li> </ol> <p>Biomedical engineer. That sounds impressive. When the medical doctoring part of your degree is the less impressive of the two, you know your educational credentials are packing some serious power.</p> <p>That said, we’re not going to trust my doctor with my air conditioning unit. Similarly, we doubt NASA would trust someone with a very precise specialization to do work on their multi-billion dollar space station.</p> <p>On the LSAT, you have to make sure that the experts you’re consulting are the right ones. They need to be speaking in their field of expertise, and they need to speak to something that is factual, not subjective.</p> <p>While Gravity may have been a visual feast, it was also filled with gaps of logic. These gaps have now been pointed out, however, leaving Neil Degrasse Tyson to say of this blog, “I’ve never heard of your blog; please stop contacting me.”</p> <hr /> <p><em><strong><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-5255 size-thumbnail" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/lsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/07/matt-shinners-150x150.png" alt="matt-shinners" width="150" height="150" />Matt Shinners is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in New York City.</strong> After receiving a science degree from Boston College, Matt scored a 180 on his LSAT and enrolled in Harvard Law School. There’s nothing that makes him happier than seeing his students receive the scores they want to get into the schools of their choice. <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/classes/#instructor/61">Check out Matt’s upcoming LSAT courses here!</a></em></p> <p> </p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/moviefailmondays-gravity-or-how-movies-can-teach-you-about-logical-fallacies-and-help-you-ace-the-lsat/">#MovieFailMondays: Gravity (or, How Movies Can Teach You About Logical Fallacies and Help You Ace the LSAT)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat">LSAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss>