- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 8917
- Joined: Feb 02, 2011
- Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:00 pm
#36609
Complete Question Explanation
Point at Issue. The correct answer choice is (D)
In any Point at Issue question, it is important to understand each viewpoint and how they differ from one
another. Davis’s viewpoint has several features. Davis suggests that it is appropriate to compensate the
victims of property damage, and that the value of the damage or loss is the only factor that should be
considered in determining compensation. Higuchi disagrees with Davis’s conclusion but does not dispute
any of Davis’s premises: both individuals agree that the amount of damage or loss should be considered,
while Higuchi also believes that the amount of time involved in recovering the use of personal property
should be considered. Answer choice (D) is the only answer choice which correctly characterizes this
key distinction between Davis’s and Higuchi’s arguments.
Answer choice (A): Davis believes that only the value of the lost property is relevant to determining
compensation while Higuchi believes that the lost value and time are both relevant. However, neither
specifically discusses how consistently or reliably these factors can be applied. Thus it is impossible to
know how either Davis or Higuchi would respond to answer choice (A).
Answer choice (B): Davis certainly agrees with this statement – it is the premise of his argument. For
this answer choice to be correct, it must then be shown that Higuchi disagrees with it according to the
Agree/Disagree Test. However, it is quite probable that Higuchi also agrees with this statement since
Higuchi does not openly refute any of Davis’s premises. Therefore, answer choice (B) cannot be correct.
Answer choice (C): This answer choice, like answer choice (B), is a premise of Davis’s argument
and, therefore, Davis must agree with it. Higuchi also believes that victims are owed compensation
in proportion to the harm they have suffered. Although Davis and Higuchi would disagree about the
appropriate method for determining how much harm the victims have suffered, both would agree that
amount of harm should determine the amount of compensation.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. Higuchi argues that the amount of time a
victim is deprived of the use of their property should be one of the factors in determining the amount
of compensation, and thus compensation is not strictly based upon the value of the property (some
victims are entitled to greater compensation if they are deprived of the use of their property for a longer
period of time). Davis argues that monetary loss or damage is the only relevant factor (and thus the time
involved is not a factor). Since Higuchi would agree with the statement in answer choice (D) and Davis
would not, answer choice (D) is the correct answer choice.
Answer choice (E): This is the most commonly chosen incorrect answer choice. The amount of
monetary loss and the amount of time property is missing can vary infinitely from case to case. Since
Davis and Higuchi argue that these variable factors should determine the amount of compensation, both
would agree that the compensation owed to victims should be determined on a case-by-case basis rather
than by some general rule. Like answer choice (C), this statement cannot be the point of disagreement if
both speakers agree with it.
Point at Issue. The correct answer choice is (D)
In any Point at Issue question, it is important to understand each viewpoint and how they differ from one
another. Davis’s viewpoint has several features. Davis suggests that it is appropriate to compensate the
victims of property damage, and that the value of the damage or loss is the only factor that should be
considered in determining compensation. Higuchi disagrees with Davis’s conclusion but does not dispute
any of Davis’s premises: both individuals agree that the amount of damage or loss should be considered,
while Higuchi also believes that the amount of time involved in recovering the use of personal property
should be considered. Answer choice (D) is the only answer choice which correctly characterizes this
key distinction between Davis’s and Higuchi’s arguments.
Answer choice (A): Davis believes that only the value of the lost property is relevant to determining
compensation while Higuchi believes that the lost value and time are both relevant. However, neither
specifically discusses how consistently or reliably these factors can be applied. Thus it is impossible to
know how either Davis or Higuchi would respond to answer choice (A).
Answer choice (B): Davis certainly agrees with this statement – it is the premise of his argument. For
this answer choice to be correct, it must then be shown that Higuchi disagrees with it according to the
Agree/Disagree Test. However, it is quite probable that Higuchi also agrees with this statement since
Higuchi does not openly refute any of Davis’s premises. Therefore, answer choice (B) cannot be correct.
Answer choice (C): This answer choice, like answer choice (B), is a premise of Davis’s argument
and, therefore, Davis must agree with it. Higuchi also believes that victims are owed compensation
in proportion to the harm they have suffered. Although Davis and Higuchi would disagree about the
appropriate method for determining how much harm the victims have suffered, both would agree that
amount of harm should determine the amount of compensation.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. Higuchi argues that the amount of time a
victim is deprived of the use of their property should be one of the factors in determining the amount
of compensation, and thus compensation is not strictly based upon the value of the property (some
victims are entitled to greater compensation if they are deprived of the use of their property for a longer
period of time). Davis argues that monetary loss or damage is the only relevant factor (and thus the time
involved is not a factor). Since Higuchi would agree with the statement in answer choice (D) and Davis
would not, answer choice (D) is the correct answer choice.
Answer choice (E): This is the most commonly chosen incorrect answer choice. The amount of
monetary loss and the amount of time property is missing can vary infinitely from case to case. Since
Davis and Higuchi argue that these variable factors should determine the amount of compensation, both
would agree that the compensation owed to victims should be determined on a case-by-case basis rather
than by some general rule. Like answer choice (C), this statement cannot be the point of disagreement if
both speakers agree with it.