A specific skin rash has been linked to exposure to certain

Question

A specific skin rash has been linked to exposure to certain types of high-intensity tanning beds. While not dangerous, these rashes are painful and often unsightly, at least in the eyes of those who contract them. Over 90% of females ages 24-30 who use a particular tanning bed called "The Bronzer" have contracted the rash in varying levels of severity. Although using "The Bronzer" does not always lead to a contraction of the rash, the only way to completely avoid the rash is to refrain from using "The Bronzer" and other tanning beds altogether.

Which of the following indicates a flaw in the author’s reasoning?

A. It relies on evidence about a specific product to make a recommendation about an entire class of products.

B. It assumes that one possible cause of a condition is the only cause of that condition.

C. It assumes to be true what it sets out to prove.

D. It makes a generalization based on one segment of the population.

E. It contradicts itself by proclaiming a condition to be not dangerous and then offering a recommendation to avoid that condition.

Thanks and regards,
Sidd

by carcass

Vercules · Accepted Answer

Hi Archit,

Now lets consider answer choice A

(A) It relies on evidence about a specific product to make a recommendation about an entire class of products.

Similar to (D) the author is doing this; i.e. the argument does relies on evidence about Bronzer to make recommendations about an entire class of products. If we address the point mentioned in (A), the argument still remains flawed.

lets change the argument so that (A) is addressed.

New Conclusion:  The only way to stay away from rashes is to refrain from using "Bronzer" tanning bed .

In this case we are not making a recommendation about an entire class of products. But, the argument still remains flawed in its reasoning because even after refraining from just "Bronzer" tanning bed does not guarantee that one will not catch the rash. So, the reason mentioned in (A) in not the flaw in reasoning.

Hope that helps,

Vercules

Vercules · Answer

Hi Sidd,

It is an LSAT question and LSAT questions have a list of error types and this one comes under the category of "False Causation"

The stimulus says that Bronzer is the cause of rash in females who use this tanning bed. Then goes on to conclude that the    ONLY    way to avoid the rash is to be away from any kind of tanning bed.

Well, if you notice, this is a very far fetched conclusion. It is similar to saying "90 % of people catch cold if they get wet in the rain, so the only way to stay away from cold is to not to get wet in any possible way". The author does assume one cause of a problem as the only cause; this in fact is the flaw in the reasoning of the argument. Most other answer choices are telling what the author is doing to make a conclusion but not identifying the flaw in reasoning.

Hope that helps,

Vercules

Archit143 · Answer

I think that option A and d are both correct and hence either cannot be considered as the correct answer.Now option B,C and E are left. Option E can be eliminated since its out of scope. The argument is concerned about the banning of the product as a whole....
Out of B and C Option B is right since the argument recommends on the basis of just one reason mentioned.....and does not considers other reasons to eliminate the options..

Hence Answer is b

Consider Kudos If my post helps!!!!!

Archit

siddharth86 · Answer

can please explain why d is not the answer and how did you you come to your answer

Thanks and regards,
Sidd

Archit143 · Answer

Can you explain how did you eliminate A ...If you cannot eliminate D than i think you also cannot eliminate A as well.
Pls provide you reasoning and than i will help you..

Archit

Vercules · Answer

Hi Sidd,

D. It makes a generalization based on one segment of the population.

Yes the author is making generalization based on one segment of population, but it still does not explain the flaw. It is something that the author is doing.

Suppose we correct this point and change in the stimulus so that it includes the segment of population discussed:  "the only way in which females aged 24-30 can avoid rashes is to stay away from Bronzer and other tanning beds".   Would this make the argument no longer flawed? No; therefore (D) is incorrect.

Hope that helps,

Vercules

Carcass · Answer

Please read carefully the rules for posting in verbal section rules-for-posting-in-verbal-gmat-forum-134642.html Thanks

inthestacks · Answer

Snookie goes into her favorite tanning salon with all her gal pals. She then hops in a greased out and over used tanning bed only to emerge hours later with a rash that will prevent even the most desperate of guidos from hollering at her. Naturally she is worried and proceeds to blame the equipment (bronzer) for her first world problems. When she tells her pal J-Wow about her dilema, J-Wow promptly tells her the only thing she can do is to take the "tan" out of Gym Tan Laundry.

However, immediately after J-Wow has imparted her knowledge of tanning on Snookie, Mike walks into the room and tells everyone to chill out because just because she got a rash from entering the womb of the Bronzer, does not mean the Bronzer is the only cause of Snookie's rash.

Snookie, now relieved that she won't have to part with her bronzing sessions, sits down in her favorite chair. As she sits down in her chair she feels a slimy sensation on her arm and almost immediately her rash comes back. Mike starts screaming at her from the top of his lungs "Don't sit there! A bunch of grenades just vomited all over that chair last night!" Snookie screams at him "what?? I fell asleep on this chair right before I went to the tanning salon!!" to which Mike responds "well maybe that's why you got a rash"

/end scene

I pick  (B)

swaydzlycan · Answer

i think its A because the rash has been contracted by majority of the women using it in a specific age group and thus it deems allergic to them
however the conclusion states them to refrain from using the bronzer as well as other products....this means the author is saying not to use the tanning beds based on the data concluded from using the bronzer

swaydzlycan · Answer

i think its A because the rash has been contracted by majority of the women using it in a specific age group and thus it deems allergic to them
however the conclusion states them to refrain from using the bronzer as well as other products....this means the author is saying not to use the tanning beds based on the data concluded from using the bronzer

DebWenger · Answer

Hi  Vercules

Really liked your way of eliminating options.
But in this case there seems to be multiple flaws in the argument and I find both A and B to be flaws that the argument has.Now,addressing one flaw ,in this case A does not make the argument correct.Neither does addressing B correct the argument completely.
Could u please suggest a way of working past this hurdle?

Many Thanks!
DebWenger

ssk13809 · Answer

Vercules you are correct even if we address A or D, the argument remains flawed. But even if we address B, and remove the "Only way" part, the argument still remains flawed. The conclusion would be

A way avoid the rash is to refrain from using "The Bronzer" and other tanning beds altogether.
 
Now it is flawed for the reasons mentioned in A and D. And now I can say B is not the flaw in the reasoning.

How is my argument for eliminating B any different from your argument for eliminating A and D? Personally I think there are multiple flaws in the argument and A,B, and D cover them.

VerbalBot · Answer

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A specific skin rash has been linked to exposure to certain

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