It is pointless to debate the truth of the law of noncontradiction, a fundamental logical principle according to which two statements that contradict each other cannot both be true. For a debate to be productive, participants must hold some basic principles in common. But the principles held in common in a debate over the law of noncontradiction would be much less certain than that law, so it matters little whether the law of noncontradiction can be defended on the basis of those principles. Which one of the following most accurately expresses the overall conclusion drawn in the argument? ['The law of noncontradiction is a principle that the participants in a productive debate must hold in common.', 'Statements that contradict each other cannot both be true.', 'Any principles that could be used to defend the law of noncontradiction are less certain than it is.', 'It is pointless to debate the truth of the law of noncontradiction.']