LSAT Critical Reasoning "Aristotle"

[vik]

Aristotle wrote that a tyrant would be well advised to put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are more tolerant of unjust treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-rearing and pious. Moreover as most subjects believe that even the gods are on the side of the ruler, the subjects are less apt to move against him.
Which one of the following is an assumption on which Aristotle’s argument depends?
(A) The subjects of tyrannical rulers typically believe that there is a power other than the mortal.
(B) A tyrant cannot rule unless he has divine power on his side.
(C) The subjects of tyrannical rulers can rarely be fooled by appearances.
(D) Tyrants who are devoted to religion will not treat their subjects unjustly.
(E) For a tyrant, the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion is a more effective means of ruling than unjust treatment.

My explanation for this

Evidence I Subjects are more tolerant of unjust treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-rearing and pious
Evidence II Moreover as most subjects believe that even the gods are on the side of the ruler, the subjects are less apt to move against him.

Conclusion is "a tyrant would be well advised to put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion" so inorder to support this answer should be "B" . As a tyrant cannot rule unless he has divine power on his side and that is why he is showing uncommon devotion.

I will post answer later.

[RonPurewal]

Choice B is incorrect: the passage does not require, nor indeed does it have anything to do with, the reality of 'divine power'. Such power is only invoked in Aristotle's statement that subjects are more likely to remain cowed into submission if they are convinced that the 'gods' - whichever ones happen to be fashionable at the time - are behind whomever is currently in power. Aristotle is certainly allowing, and may even be implying, that such divine power is illusory.

Choice C runs counter to everything Aristotle is saying: he's effectively saying that pretended piety is important for tyrants because subjects ARE easily fooled by appearances.

Choice D is at best irrelevant, and at worst runs counter to the passage: Aristotle is saying that, by putting on a religious front, tyrants CAN get away with treating their subjects unjustly.

Choice E makes no sense, because devotion to religion and unjust treatment are not promoted as alternatives. I.e., it's not an 'either-or' deal, as this choice seems to imply.

The correct answer is A: in order for any of Aristotle's statements to make sense, subjects must actually believe in the validity and significance of such ideas as 'god-fearing' (= what I'm assuming you meant by 'rearing'), 'pious', and 'gods on their side'. This, in turn, requires the assumption that the subjects actually buy religious ideas, which are, by definition, not 'mortal' ideas.

One can only wonder what Aristotle would have to say about the evangelical supporters of GW Bush.