Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT147 S4 Q17 Explanation

It is pointless to debate the truth

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

TopicsMain Conclusion

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Stimulus

It is pointless to debate the truth of the law of noncontradiction, a fundamental logical principle according to which two statements that contradict each other cannot both be true. For a debate to be productive, participants must hold some basic principles in common. But the principles held in common in a debate the law of noncontradiction can be defended on the basis of those principles.

What this question is testing

Main Conclusion

Your task

Break the argument into its conclusion and evidence, then do exactly what the question stem asks with that structure.

Common trap

Answers that sound relevant to the topic but don't connect to the argument's actual reasoning.

Winning move

Predict what a right answer must do, then test each choice against the conclusion-evidence gap.

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

The question
17.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the overall conclusion drawn

Answer choices

  1. Correct92% picked this

    It is pointless to debate the truth of the law

    Why this is right

    Answer A is correct.

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

  2. Trap0% picked this

    Statements that contradict each other cannot both

  3. Trap3% picked this

    The participants in a productive debate must hold at least some basic

  4. Trap2% picked this

    The law of noncontradiction is a principle that the participants in a productive debate must

  5. Trap3% picked this

    Any principles that could be used to defend the law of noncontradiction are less certain

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