LSAT Question Stem

Their statements commit Professors Beckstein and Sedley to disagreeing about which one of the following? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Disagree question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is E. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

Let's first analyze the argument in the passage. Professor Beckstein's argument can be summarized as follows:

Premise: American Sign Language (ASL) is the native language of many North Americans.

Sub-Conclusion: ASL is not a foreign language.

Conclusion: ASL should not be allowed to fulfill the university's foreign language requirement.

On the other hand, Professor Sedley counters Beckstein's argument by pointing out that French and Spanish are also native languages of many North Americans, yet they are allowed to fulfill the foreign language requirement. He argues that it would be ridiculous to prohibit students from using these languages to fulfill the requirement.

The question type for this problem is "Disagree," and we are asked to identify the point at which Professors Beckstein and Sedley disagree.

Now let's evaluate each answer choice:

a) Both professors agree that ASL is the native language of many North Americans. They disagree on whether this fact should prohibit its use to fulfill the foreign language requirement. This answer choice is incorrect.

b) The issue at hand is whether a language native to many North Americans can fulfill the foreign language requirement, not whether any North American whose native language is not English should be allowed to fulfill the requirement by studying their native language. This answer choice is incorrect.

c) Retaining the foreign language requirement is not an issue in either argument. Both professors likely agree that the foreign language requirement is a good idea; they merely disagree on how to fulfill it. This answer choice is incorrect.

d) Neither professor mentions what other North American universities do or do not do. This answer choice is outside the scope of both arguments and is incorrect.

e) This is the correct answer choice. Professor Beckstein likely agrees with this statement, whereas Professor Sedley disagrees with it (he calls the proposition "ridiculous"). Because this answer passes the Agree/Disagree test, it represents the correct point at issue between the two professors.