LSAT Logical Reasoning : Point at Issue
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for LSAT Logical Reasoning
All LSAT Logical Reasoning Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #21 : Determining Which Answer Best Expresses The Point At Issue
Cynthia: People who graduate from college have higher salaries and report higher levels of happiness than those who do not graduate from college.
Don: I disagree. People who do not attend college have more earning years, are burdened by less debt, and are more likely to start families than college graduates.
Cynthia and Don disagree about which of the following?
Whether college can lead to higher-paying jobs
Whether college dropouts are better off than college graduates
Whether those who attend college accumulate debt
The advantages and disadvantages of college graduation
Whether a college degree can lead to more happiness
The advantages and disadvantages of college graduation
Cynthia and Don disagree about the advantages and disadvantages of college graduation. They do not disagree about whether a college degree can lead to more happiness. Cynthia only comments that college graduates report higher levels of happiness than those who do not graduate. They also do not disagree about whether college dropouts are better off than college graduates, but rather whether all non-college graduates are. Here, the simplest answer is the most correct one.
Example Question #21 : Point At Issue
Sam: No person should ever be made to alter their religious beliefs by government decree, which the new law threatens with its vague language.
John: The new law does not allow anyone to violate another person's religion, which is precisely why the language in the law had to be vague.
The point at issue in this argument is best stated as __________.
whether religion has a role to play in government
whether the language in the law allows someone's religion to be violated
whether government should do anything to interfere in religious beliefs
whether religion should be protected by legislative means
whether vague laws are able to be effective in reality
whether the language in the law allows someone's religion to be violated
While the argument is over a law about the protection of religion, the issue is not about the relation between religion and government, as both sides agree that religion should be in some way protected from interference. The issue is whether the law's language, and especially its vagueness, appropriately protects an individual's religious beliefs.
Example Question #23 : Determining Which Answer Best Expresses The Point At Issue
Sandy: Many video games are detrimental to the mental development of children. They encourage violent behavior and provide very few benefits for children’s creative faculties.
Robert: My objection to preventing children from playing video games is that they encourage foresight, logical deductions and are fun for the children.
Sandy and Robert’s statements provide the strongest support for holding that they disagree with each other over whether
Video games encourage children to make logical deductions.
Video games help children’s creative faculties.
Video games help children develop into socially responsible adults.
Children should be allowed to play video games.
Whether video games are socially valuable.
Children should be allowed to play video games.
Only the correct answer is one that both Robert and Sandy are shown to disagree over. The other are simply arguments that one or the other makes that go unrefuted by their opponent.
All LSAT Logical Reasoning Resources
