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Question

Difficulty: MediumAvoiding Out-of-Scope and 'Could Be True' Inference Traps

Passage:
In an international pharmaceutical trial evaluating a new anti-inflammatory drug, every participant was categorized as exhibiting either full remission, moderate symptom reduction, or no measurable improvement. Every participant who achieved full remission had completed a six-week physical therapy regimen prior to the trial. However, less than forty percent of all participants who completed the physical therapy regimen achieved full remission. Additionally, no participant enrolled at the trial's European testing centers achieved full remission.

Statement:
Based solely on the passage above, the statement 'At least one participant enrolled at the trial's European testing centers completed the six-week physical therapy regimen prior to the trial' MUST BE TRUE.

Answer: Answer

Answer

The statement is False because the premise only establishes physical therapy as a necessary condition for full remission, not a sufficient one, making it possible that zero European participants took physical therapy.
The claim is evaluated as False because the premises do not guarantee that any European participant completed the physical therapy regimen. The passage establishes that physical therapy was necessary for full remission (Full Remission→Physical TherapyFull\ Remission \rightarrow Physical\ Therapy). Knowing that no European participant achieved full remission allows for the possibility that some European participants took physical therapy without achieving full remission, but it equally permits the possibility that zero European participants took physical therapy. Because the statement is not strictly required by the facts, classifying it as a 'must be true' statement is logically invalid.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the formal logic of the conditional premise
Full Remission →\rightarrow Physical Therapy. This means completing physical therapy is a necessary condition for full remission, but not a sufficient condition.
Understanding the direction of conditional statements prevents confusing necessary conditions with sufficient outcomes.
2
Apply the evidence regarding European testing center participants
No European participant achieved full remission (¬Full Remission\neg Full\ Remission).
We must evaluate what can be deduced about European participants given their lack of full remission.
3
Test whether physical therapy completion is required for European participants
Denying the antecedent or negating the consequent of a necessary condition does not force the necessary condition to occur. European participants could have done physical therapy and achieved moderate/no improvement, OR they could have omitted physical therapy entirely.
Since the facts allow for zero European participants having taken physical therapy, asserting that at least one MUST have taken it is an unwarranted extrapolation.

Key Concept

Avoiding 'Could Be True' and Out-of-Scope Inference Traps in Conditional Premises
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Avoiding Out-of-Scope and 'Could Be True' Inference Traps

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