Q8 - Aristotle's Principle of Justice

[antarias90]

I'm surprised no one else has asked about this question. Maybe I'm just clueless, but...

Why is the answer to this one not D?

Taking the February LSAT after Fall A course here so this is pretty much my last official month of studying/learning anything before it's more just practice mode. Any quick response is much appreciated.

Thanks!

Anthony

[bbirdwell]

Remember, on these questions you must choose an answer that one party will agree with and the other party will disagree with.

Ask yourself this question regarding (D):
Does Otis think dentists should be willing schedule after-hours appointments for anyone who asks?

We don't know! He doesn't say "it's wrong for a dentist to turn people down for after-hours appointments." He says "they shouldn't say yes to some and no to others." This doesn't mean that Otis thinks the dentists MUST schedule after hours appointments for everyone! Given what we know, it'd be totally fine by Otis if the dentists said "no" to everyone, too! Otis's point is that we can't treat people differently - not that we have to do everything people want!

So we can eliminate this answer already, because Otis has no opinion on it. For giggles, we can look at Tyra. What would Tyra say to this question (pay attention to the question!)

"Should dentists be willing to schedule appointments for anyone who asks?"

We don't know! Maybe Tyra doesn't think anyone should work after-hours, ever! Maybe she thinks dentists should never work after-hours! We have no idea.

The only think we know is that Otis thinks the dentist is being unjust, and Tyra doesn't. Why does Tyra disagree? Because friends are friends -- not strangers! Therefore, Tyra is suggesting that friends ("those we do special favors for") are not to compared with others in the sense Aristotle intended -- that friends and non-friends are two different cases.

This, of course, is B.

[james9edu]

well I chose "A" over B since answer choice "B" states that "situations invovling firends and situation involving "others" should be considered similar cases" no where on the conversation mentions about "the other" if they don't mention it then how could they disagree about that.. so guess this does not leave any option to be very enticing, but if something has to be chosen, wouldn't "A", in this sense, be a "safer" answer choice?

[maryadkins]

Tyra HAS to disagree with (B) or her point makes no sense. She thinks:

1. That friends should be able to get special treatment.
2. That Aristotle's idea of treating similar cases similarly is also correct.

Therefore, the only way her view even makes sense is if friends are not the same as situations involving others.

(A) may be something they both agree on! Tyra may very well think the principle should be applied widely.