Logical Reasoning

PT115 · S4 · Q20 Some people believe that good

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Some people believe that good health is due to luck.

Conclusion (Thus)

Good health is largely the result of making informed lifestyle choices.

Evidence

Studies from many countries indicate a strong correlation between good health and high educational levels.

Evaluate

We know that one of LSAT's favorite argument patterns is presenting a correlation in the evidence and then assuming some causal relationship in the conclusion. In this argument, it literally says "correlation" in the evidence. The causal wording in the conclusion is "result".

We can use our Explain Curious Fact mindset when the conclusion seems to be assuming some sort of causal explanation for the evidence.

Curious Fact ... why is there a strong correlation in many countries between good health and high educational levels?

Author's Explanation ... Education leads to informed lifestyle choices, and informed lifestyle choices lead to good health.

We always think about these types of arguments by asking two questions: 1. Could there be some Alternate Explanation for the curious fact? 2. How plausible is the Author's Explanation?

Goal

When it comes to Flaw questions, we're either going to complain that the author is overconfidently assuming a causal connection from a mere correlation, or complain that the author is failing to consider alternate explanations, or call out an assumption the author is making in thinking that her explanation is plausible.

So look for anything like this - infers cause from correlation - fails to consider correlation between health and ed levels could be from X - takes for granted that high educational levels lead to more informed lifestyle choices

20.

The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument

  1. presumes, without providing justification, that

    Too Strong: only

    The author is only assuming that high educational levels make informed lifestyle choices more likely. She hasn't committed herself to this extreme position that "any person who isn't highly educated never makes a single informed lifestyle choice".

    21% picked this

  2. overlooks the possibility that people

    Doesn't Overlook Possibility

    We'd ask ourselves whether it weakens the argument to say, "Hey, author --- people who make informed lifestyle choices might still suffer from an inherited disease". That's very weak language ("may"), so it will only hurt the author if she held some extreme position that doesn't allow for exceptions. But she does not hold such a position. She said, "Good health is largely the result of making informed lifestyle choices", not entirely the result of.

    8% picked this

  3. presumes, without providing justification, that

    Too Strong: everyone

    The author hasn't committed to the extreme position that every single person in the world has the option of making informed lifestyle choices. In fact, given that the author thinks that some people's informed lifestyle choices are heavily influenced by their high educational levels, (and given that common sense would not assume that high educational levels are available to everyone), it's probably more likely that the author disagrees with this answer than assumes it.

    2% picked this

  4. Correct

    overlooks the possibility that the

    Why this is right

    This weakens the argument by presenting the possibility of an Alternate Explanation for the curious fact. It allows us to say, "Hey, author -- maybe health and education are correlated, not because one causes the other, but because they're both caused by the same thing (probably wealth)." Whenever authors present a correlation, x is correlated with y x || y and then assumes a causal connection thus, x must cause y x ? y our job is to consider these two alternate possibilities: 1. what if y causes x? (reverse causality) 2. what if z causes x and y (third factor) This answer is saying, in LSAT nerd terms, "the author failed to consider 3rd factor".

    Skill tested: Flaw · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

    62% picked this

  5. does not acknowledge that some

    Doesn't Fail to Acknowledge

    We'd ask ourselves whether it weakens the argument to say, "Hey, author --- some people who don't make informed lifestyle choices might still be in good health." It does have a common weakening form (Effect w/o Cause). But it's got very weak language ("some" - at least one person), so it will only hurt the author if she held some extreme position that doesn't allow for exceptions. But she does not hold such a position. She said, "Good health is largely the result of making informed lifestyle choices", not entirely the result of. So her position is very compatible with the idea there will be exceptions (some people who make informed choices will be in bad health / some people who don't make informed choices will be in good health).

    6% picked this

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