Despite the lingering popularity of alternative health treat

Question

Despite the lingering popularity of alternative health treatments for musculoskeletal injuries, such as acupuncture and chiropractic manipulation, it is quiet clear that the curative prowess of such so called remedies is questionable. In a recent survey of people who had tried at least one respondents reported that the thrapiest had little, if any, curative impact. People, with such injuries are, thus, well advised to forego alternative therapies in favor of traditional, interventive methods of treatment.

The above argument assumes that:

A. Other alternative therapies, such as aromatherapy, are not more effective than acupuncture or chiropractic medicine.
B. Traditional methods of treatment have a higher success rate than that of alternative therapies. 
C. The survey participants had no reservations about the therapy methods they chose prior to receiving treatment. 
D. No respondent had used any form of traditional treatment prior to the survey.
E. A combination of traditinoal and alternative therapies is the most optimal way to treat musculoskeletal aliments.

Hi,

When I solved the following question, I was debating between the first 2 answers, and eventually selected the wrong one.
Can you please help me realize why the wrong answer is wrong?

Thank you

mrblack · Answer

I picked B. Which 2 choices did you pick?

a) other alternative therapies are not relevant (not comparing the various forms of alternative therapies)
b) ANSWER: since the traditional methods have a higher rate of success, the conclusion makes sense (that we should forego all alternative therapies)
c) what the participants think before receiving the treatment is not relevant
d) if no one had use traditional treatment before than we cannot say that the traditional method is better (since no one has used it)
e) the argument wants the traditional method not the alternative method, not a combination of the 2 methods

Hope this helps.

eladshus · Answer

Hi mrblack,

Thanks for your quick reply. I picked answer a and I will explain my reasoning:
The conclusion of the argument is: "People, with such injuries are, thus, well advised to forego alternative therapies in favor of traditional, interventive methods of treatment. ". As I was reading it, I noted that the conclusion refers to not only the 2 alternative therapies mentioned in the premises, but also recommend to forego alternative therapies in general. Thus, a possible hidden assumption is exactly what stated in answer choice A: Other alternative therapies, such as aromatherapy, are not more effective than acupuncture or chiropractic medicine. Let's use the denial test: If other alternative therapies are more effective, then the conclusion falls apart.

WDYT?
A reads: Other alternative therapies, such as aromatherapy, are not more effective than acupuncture or chiropractic medicine.

mrblack · Answer

I think you're reading too much into it. To me, the "alternative therapies" include all forms of alternative therapies, not just the 2 mentioned in the premises. You don't need to compare the various forms, which is what a) is doing.

mrblack · Answer

also, b) is just more straight forward - it actually tells you that traditional therapies are better, period. so go with b)

fluke · Answer

You've a point; however,   such as   is used to mention just few of the examples, not the entire list.

Jungle is filled with wild animals, such as cheetah, jaguar. (Sentence meant ALL wild animals but mentioned just a couple)
Jungle is filled with such wild animals as cheetah and jaguar. (Sentence meant 2 wild animals and mentioned both)

Likewise,
Despite the lingering popularity of alternative health treatments for musculoskeletal injuries, such as acupuncture and chiropractic manipulation. (This sentence implicitly includes aromatherapy already without even mentioning it)

mrblack · Answer

You're right. But a) is still wrong because it's comparing various forms of alternative therapies.

fluke · Answer

Oh sure, mrblack!!! I am not refuting that.

I'm very much with "B", however implausible it may sound that none of the participants would have said the same thing about traditional, interventive treatment.

mrblack · Answer

Sorry that I misunderstood you.

rphardu · Answer

Hi Mrblack,

Let me give a try.
A. Other alternative therapies, such as aromatherapy, are not more effective than acupuncture or chiropractic medicine.

Okay lets negate this statement. Other alternative therapies, such as aromatherapy, are as effective as acupuncture or chiropractic medicine.

Now conclusion is same why ? When acupuncture or chiro..med., which are as effective as aromatherapy, and acupuncture is are not better than traditional than defiantly aromatherapy is not better.

Here the thing which should be noted that opposite of not more is not necessarly less, it might be equal.

eladshus · Answer

mrblack, fluke, and rphardu,

This is a great discussion here. Now I realize that I over read the sentence and from your answers I have learned a lot. 
From this I have learned 2 things on this sentence:
1. "such as" comes to introduce few examples out of the family of "alternative therapies", this is why the argument is not cemented to only the 2 therapies mentioned. (thanks for mrblack and fluke on that)
2. rphardu - your perspective helped me realize that an amount that is "not more X" can be exactly equal to X.

Kodus for all of you guys. 
eladshus

amit2k9 · Answer

negating B and D,weakens the conclusion stated in the last line.

However, B is more closer to the conclusion,hence the OA.

mrblack · Answer

This is a SC and CR combination question! 8-)

LifeChanger · Answer

chose A...but learnt a few points from the discussion

Phoenix72 · Answer

IMO D. Can somebody plz elaborate why D is wrong and B correct?
Thanks!!

siddharthmuzumdar · Answer

Hi eladshus awesome question...
Even I fell in the same trap as you and chose A. Now realize that I also over-read the choice and the options. B should be the correct answer.
mrblack and fluke, very detailed and simple explanations. Thank you very much. Learnt something very vital here.

+1 for all.

neha2785 · Answer

So author is keen to stress that alternative method is wrong and has provided a survey to prove her point, now we need to find assumption based which she is so keen to prove the success of traditional method 
A is against her believe so cant be my answer
B Yes it is what she is claiming to be
C POE
D could be , but some doubt is there but neverthe less an answer
E POE
 B is correct as d is bit based on assumptions .. had B been vague then would have picked D

KeVinHUnTer · Answer

Such as cheetah, jaguar. (Sentence meant ALL wild animals but mentioned just a couple) Jungle is filled with such wild animals as cheetah and jaguar. (Sentence meant 2 wild animals and mentioned both)

jlgdr · Answer

Well put it like this. If traditional methods of treatment do NOT have a higher success rate than that of alternative therapies then the argument falls apart. B is thus the correct answer choice

For the dude in the above post: Yeah, we know the answer is B that's why we have the question bar. What you should be doing in the forum is giving an EXPLANATION on why you think the answer is D so that can people can understand your reasoning. Otherwise please don't post useless information

Thanks!!
:-D

akadmin · Answer

Why not C? If the people had reservations then the result could be skewd

Despite the lingering popularity of alternative health treat

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