Counter-Premise Indicators - Example #2 - Tickets

[kumarshe]

Hello,

I was just wondering why in the second example on pg. 34 (speeding tickets) "and do not deserve a rate increase" is the conclusion.
Isn't the "as a result" a conclusion indicator.

[Jon Denning]

Hi kumarshe,

Thanks for the question! In this example "as a result" doesn't indicate the author's opinion (that's what a conclusion is), but rather it just tells us a cause and effect relationship: four speeding tickets resulted in higher insurance rates. That's a factual statement, or, in LSAT language, a premise.

The conclusion is what the author believes and is trying to persuade the reader to believe, as well. So the author's opinion isn't that his insurance rates increased—again, that's just a fact he tells us. The author believes that that increase was undeserved. And it's that belief that serves as the conclusion.

I hope that helps!