Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumWeaken

Nutritionist: Residents of the mountainous region of Vargia consume an unusually high amount of the local root vegetable kalian, and they also boast the lowest rates of heart disease in the country. To combat rising rates of heart disease nationwide, the government should subsidize the cultivation of kalian and promote its consumption among the general population.

Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the nutritionist's argument?

  1. The steep, rugged terrain of Vargia requires its residents to engage in intense daily physical exertion, a lifestyle factor known to drastically reduce the risk of heart disease.Answer
  2. B
    Clinical studies have identified a unique combination of antioxidants in kalian that actively repairs damaged blood vessels.
  3. C
    Because Vargia has a highly concentrated population, the total number of people diagnosed with heart disease there is greater than in several sparsely populated regions of the country.
  4. D
    Recent agricultural records indicate that the original survey data detailing kalian consumption in Vargia was significantly exaggerated.
  5. E
    The government currently subsidizes several other crops that are known to have general nutritional benefits.

Answer

The correct answer is the option stating that the steep, rugged terrain of Vargia requires intense daily physical exertion, which drastically reduces the risk of heart disease.
The argument relies on a correlation between kalian consumption and low heart disease rates to conclude that kalian causes heart health. The correct answer introduces a highly plausible alternative cause (intense physical exertion due to terrain) for the low heart disease rates in Vargia. This alternate explanation severs the assumed causal link, making it much less likely that promoting kalian nationwide will have the desired effect.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the argument's premises and conclusion.
Premises: Vargians eat lots of kalian AND have the lowest rates of heart disease. Conclusion: Promoting kalian nationwide will combat rising heart disease rates.
Deconstructing the argument is necessary to evaluate the logical leap being made.
2
Analyze the logical gap (flaw) between the premises and the conclusion.
The nutritionist assumes a causal relationship (kalian prevents heart disease) based solely on a correlation in Vargia.
Identifying the flaw helps predict what type of information would most effectively weaken the argument.
3
Evaluate the answer choices to find the one that exploits this logical gap.
The option about Vargia's rugged terrain introduces an alternative cause (physical exertion) for the low heart disease rates, destroying the assumed causal link to kalian.
A valid weaken answer typically introduces new information that makes the conclusion less likely to follow from the premises.

Key Concept

Alternative Explanations in Causal Arguments
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Rate this question

Topics

Weaken

More questions from this topic