PT154 S2 Q19 ExplanationDoctor: The patient had been

Answer choices, explained

1. A

   Too Strong: most accurate3% picked this

   Computerized scans are the most accurate way of diagnosing certain kinds

   The word "most" is wrong 99% of the time we see it in Necessary Assumption. The doctor is definitely assuming that computerize scans can provide accurate diagnoses. There's no reason she needs to assume it's the #1 most accurate way. If it were the #2 most accurate way, her argument wouldn't be changed.

   3%
2. B

   Opposite, if anything9% picked this

   The cortisone injection did not reduce pressure on the inflamed nerve in

   When we see a Necessary Assumption answer choice ruling out an idea with the word "not", we get enticed. We want to negate these and see if they turn into an objection. Would this negation weaken? the cortisone shot did reduce pressure on the inflamed nerve in the leg? That doesn't sound like a weakener at all to me. The doctor is perfectly happy believing the cortisone shot reduced inflammation AND reduced pressure on the nerve (in fact, reducing inflammation is, I believe, meant to reduce pressure). Since the negation might even strengthen, this answer can't be right.

   9%
3. C

   Correct68% picked this

   The pain relief did not occur merely through the patient’s belief in the efficacy

   Why this is right

   When we see a Necessary Assumption answer choice ruling out an idea with the word "not", we get enticed. We want to negate these and see if they turn into an objection. Would this negation weaken? the pain relief did occur merely through the placebo effect Sure, that weakens. That provides an alternate cause. It's not saying "in addition to the therapeutic value of the cortisone shot, the patient also got a placebo effect." It's saying, "The pain relief was merely from / purely from the patient's psychological state." Who knows whether the root cause of the pain was ever a pressured nerve. The author's evidence for that included the fact that a cortisone shot provided relief (and a cortisone shot is a treatment for the supposed problem). But this negation is saying, "the cortisone shot did not provide relief. The placebo effect did", so that badly weakens the author's signature piece of evidence in favor of her diagnosis.

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

   68%
4. D

   Too Strong10% picked this

   Only cortisone injections can cause a reduction of an inflammation of a nerve like that

   Too Strong: only Only Thing Mentioned ? Only Thing The author doesn't need to assume such an extreme claim that "ONLY cortisone shots reduce inflammation". This is just doing an age ol' trick on Necessary Assumption, where they try to make students think that the only thing of a certain type that was mentioned is therefore the only thing of that type. Like if an author says "French cheese is delicious", there will be a trap answer accusing him of thinking, "only French cheese is delicious".

   10%
5. E

   Too Strong: best / usually10% picked this

   The best treatment for back and leg pain is usually a drug

   We have another massively overstated answer choice here. The author assumed that a drug (cortisone) that relieves inflammation would be a treatment for this dude's inflammation. She doesn't need to assume that more than 50% of the time it's the #1 anti-inflammation option. If it were only the #1 option 49% of the time, that's plenty good. If it's the #2 option 100% of the time, that's plenty good.

   10%