Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Hard

PT129 S3 Q12 Explanation

Editorial: To qualify as an effective law

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Logical Reasoning question.

TopicsNecessary Assumption

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Stimulus

Editorial: To qualify as an effective law, as opposed to merely an impressive declaration, a command must be backed up by an effective enforcement mechanism. That is why societies have police. The power of the police to enforce a society's laws makes those laws effective. But what is called "international law" is not effective law.

What this question is testing

Necessary Assumption

Your task

Find the assumption the argument requires in order for its conclusion to hold.

Common trap

Answers that would help the argument but aren't strictly required (sufficient, not necessary).

Winning move

Negate each choice — the right one breaks the argument when negated.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
12.

Which one of the following is an assumption required by the

Answer choices

  1. Too Strong5% picked this

    No one obeys a command unless mechanisms exist to

    The argument assumes that some people must be compelled to obey some commands, but it does not require assuming that anyone who obeys a command is compelled to do so.

  2. Negation18% picked this

    If an international police force were established, then so-called international law would

    This negates a direct connection IP → EF from the third premise and the conclusion.

  3. Out of Scope5% picked this

    The only difference between international law and the law of an individual society is the former's lack of

    While lacking an effective enforcement mechanism is a difference between international law and the law of an individual society, the argument does not assume that this is the only difference between them.

  4. Too Strong1% picked this

    The primary purpose of a police force is to enforce the laws

    While the argument does assume a connection between having a police force and the ability to enforce the laws, it does not assume that enforcing the laws is the primary purpose of the police force.

  5. Correct70% picked this

    Only an international police force could effectively enforce

    Why this is right

    This bridges the gap between EN → IP enforcing international law and having an international police force.

    Skill tested: Necessary Assumption · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

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