Abstract and Principle-Based Reasoning

Some LNAT questions go beyond analysing a specific argument and ask you to engage in more abstract reasoning — extracting general principles from specific cases, applying principles to new scenarios, or identifying the underlying logic shared by different arguments. This skill is particularly relevant for prospective law students, as legal reasoning frequently involves applying general rules to specific facts.

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What is Principle-Based Reasoning?

Principle-based reasoning involves:

1. Extracting a general principle from a specific argument or case
2. Applying a general principle to a new, specific situation
3. Identifying which principle underlies or is most consistent with a particular argument

Example: Extracting a Principle

Specific argument: "The government should not ban junk food advertising during children's television, because parents should decide what their children eat, not the state."

Underlying principle: The state should not interfere with decisions that are properly the responsibility of parents.

This principle can be applied to other situations — school curriculum choices, childhood vaccination, screen time regulation — even though these are entirely different topics.

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How the LNAT Tests Principle-Based Reasoning

Question Type 1: "Which of the following principles underlies the author's argument?"