LSAT 135 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q10

LR Question 10 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Samuel: Because communication via computer is usually …

QUESTION TYPE: Point at Issue

ARGUMENTS: SAMUEL’S ARGUMENT: Computer communication weakens communities because it usually replaces face-to-face interaction, which creates stronger social bonds.

TOVA’S ARGUMENT: It replaces asocial or antisocial behavior, not face-to-face interaction.

ANALYSIS: The easiest way to approach Point at Issue questions is to identify exactly where the speakers part ways.

Samuel thinks:

1. Computer communication usually replaces in-person interaction
2. In-person interaction creates stronger communal bonds
3. So computer communication weakens communities

Tova only really addresses the first point.

She says that Sam’s assuming it replaces face-to-face interaction, but actually it replaces people being alone or engaging in antisocial activities.

So the disagreement is entirely about what computer communication replaces.

If computers disappeared tomorrow:

• Samuel thinks people would mostly start interacting with each other in person.
• Tova thinks they mostly wouldn’t. They’d just go back to whatever solitary or antisocial activities they were doing before.

___________

1. Neither speaker makes a broad claim about modern society as a whole. They’re only discussing computer communication.
2. Samuel never says all private behavior weakens communities. His concern is specifically anonymous computer communication.
3. Samuel is committed to this. Tova doesn’t reject it. Her response seems to suggest that face-to-face interaction is valuable.
4. Neither speaker discusses what is desirable. They’re arguing about what actually happens.
5. CORRECT. Samuel says yes: without computers, people would mostly interact face-to-face. Tova says no: without computers, people would more often be engaged in asocial or antisocial behavior.