Logical Reasoning

PT9 · S2 · Q12 Purebred dogs are prone to

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Purebred dogs are prone to genetically determined abnormalities.

Conclusion

Potential dog owners who want to reduce the risk of incurring costly medical bills for their pets would be well advised to choose nonpurebred dogs.

Evidence

Purebred dogs are prone to genetically determined abnormalities.

Such abnormalities often can be corrected by surgery, which can cost several thousand dollars.

Nonpurebred dogs rarely suffer from these genetically determined abnormalities.

Evaluate

The argument here ties the decision of which dog to choose directly to the financial impact of genetically determined abnormalities. Since purebred dogs are more prone to these abnormalities and correcting them surgically can be expensive, the author concludes that choosing nonpurebred dogs would be financially wiser.

The argument implies that the financial burden of these surgeries is significant enough that it's the primary or sole consideration for choosing nonpurebred dogs over purebred dogs. To weaken this argument, we need to show either that genetically determined abnormalities are not as significant of a factor in determining medical costs, or that other factors might offset or overshadow this cost consideration.

Goal

Let's find an answer that diminishes the impact of genetically determined abnormalities on financial decision-making for potential dog owners.

12.

Which one of the following if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

Correct
Most genetically determined abnormalities in
Why this is right
Most genetically determined abnormalities in dogs do not seriously affect a dog's general well-being. This weakens the argument because even if these abnormalities are present, they might not necessitate expensive surgeries. If it's true that most of these conditions don't severely impact the dog's health, people might not have to spend thousands on surgeries, thereby reducing the financial incentive to choose nonpurebred dogs solely based on avoiding these medical costs.
Skill tested: Weaken · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.
57% picked this
All dogs, whether purebred or
No Impact
All dogs, whether purebred or nonpurebred, are subject to the same common nongenetically determined diseases. While this may be true, it doesn't address the argument's focus on the genetically determined abnormalities unique to purebred dogs and the associated medical costs. The potential cost of common diseases is not the consideration the author is suggesting affects the decision between purebred and nonpurebred dogs.
25% picked this
Purebred dogs tend to have
No Impact
Purebred dogs tend to have shorter natural life spans than do nonpurebred dogs. This information doesn't address the financial impact of genetically determined abnormalities. A shorter lifespan for purebred dogs might suggest fewer years of potential medical bills, but doesn't specifically weaken the argument about avoiding costly abnormalities.
6% picked this
The purchase price of nonpurebred
No Impact
The purchase price of nonpurebred dogs tends to be lower than the purchase price of purebred dogs. The cost difference in purchasing price isn't relevant to the argument, which focuses on the long-term financial impact of medical abnormalities. Thus, this information doesn't weaken the reasoning about choosing nonpurebred dogs.
1% picked this
A dog that does not
No Impact
A dog that does not have genetically determined abnormalities may nevertheless have offspring with such abnormalities. This is about the genetic potential for future abnormalities but doesn't address the immediate concern of current medical costs associated with choosing purebred or nonpurebred dogs. Potential future abnormalities in offspring don't affect the current owner's financial decision-making regarding immediate medical bills.
10% picked this

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