PTC.S2.Q03 - Polls can influence voter's decisions...

amanda.pogue

Hello! Could I get some outside opinions to break down why A is more correct than D? My thought process was:

"Few" people are influenced... in the shoes of the columnist, I'm thinking, ANY amount of people being influenced is worth banning these polls if it doesn't have any negative consequences to do so. If this had said "no" people, then I would have chosen it.

If the polls show late gains in popularity, that could be useful information to voters; did something happen leading up to the elections to cause shifting tides? Could certainly be good information to know, which would be something to point out in the argument to not ban polls.

troysch1

This is, quite frankly, not an amazing question from LSAT, and it's not surprising to me that it's an older one, as it's (by their standards) pretty imprecise with its reasoning given the conclusion is around that you 'should/n't' do something, it's surprising that the answer choices don't more clearly play on that aspect as to weighing criteria.

That said, we're basically given a weighing mechanism between freedom of expression and influencing people's opinions.

All of that said, the problem with D is exactly what you think counsels in favor of it-"this information could be useful.." we can kind of stop right there. you're now filling in *additional premises to make this one relevant, but the answer choice must stand on its own as a weakener.

As to A, sure, it admits few (none would probably be a bit too obvious), but a. we don't have a better answer chocie and b. you're now doing the inverse of what you did for D-filling in extra premises to downplay the relevance A has, when on its face it rather does weaken the argument.

Hope that helps!