Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Medium

PT13 S4 Q19 Explanation

Orthodox medicine is ineffective at

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Logical Reasoning question.

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Stimulus

Orthodox medicine is ineffective at both ends of the spectrum of ailments. At the more trivial end, orthodox medicine is largely ineffective in treating aches, pains, and allergies, and, at the other extreme, it has yet to produce a cure for serious, life‐threatening diseases such as advanced cancer and lupus. People turn free of such side effects is that it does not have any effects at all.

What this question is testing

Weaken

Your task

Find the choice that makes the argument's conclusion less likely to be true.

Common trap

Answers that look negative but attack a claim the argument never relied on.

Winning move

Find the assumption the argument depends on, then pick the choice that undermines it.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
19.

The charge made above against alternative medicine is most seriously weakened if it

Answer choices

  1. Trap6% picked this

    predictions based on orthodox medicine have sometimes failed, as when a patient has recovered despite the judgment of doctors

  2. Trap11% picked this

    alternative medicine relies on concepts of the body and of the nature of healing that differ from those on

  3. Trap7% picked this

    alternative medicine provides hope to those for whom orthodox medicine offers

  4. Correct75% picked this

    a patient’s belief in the medical treatment the patient is receiving can release the body’s own chemical painkillers, diminish

    Why this is right

    Answer D is correct.

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

  5. Trap1% picked this

    many treatments used for a time by orthodox medicine have later been found to

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