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705-805 (Hard)|   Weaken|                  
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In persons with astigmatism, the clear outer layer of the eye is defor 07 Jan 2024, 10:47
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Can someone please explain why E is wrong? Even though his paintings were highly unusual, they could be due to his creativity. I see that most of the explanations have put "Irrelevant" for E. I just don't understand why it's irrelevant. Art Critics are non-artists - meaning their perceptions can be distorted.
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In persons with astigmatism, the clear outer layer of the eye is defor 07 Jan 2024, 12:43
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Kartikeya40
Can someone please explain why E is wrong? Even though his paintings were highly unusual, they could be due to his creativity. I see that most of the explanations have put "Irrelevant" for E. I just don't understand why it's irrelevant. Art Critics are non-artists - meaning their perceptions can be distorted.
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Here's (E):

E. allow for the possibility that artists see the world differently than do nonartists

Now, here's why (E) is not correct.

The conclusion isn't based on the fact that the "elongated figures in the paintings of El Greco's" are different from how non-artists see things or simply different from reality.

The conclusion is based on the fact that El Greco's images are "so unusual." We can take "so unusual" to mean that the "elongated figures" are different from figures in other paintings. In other words, they are not just different from reality, they are "unusual" painted figures that are DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ARTIST'S FIGURES.

So, even if artists do see the world differently from how nonartists do, that fact would not serve as an alternative explanation for the fact that El Greco's figures are "unusual," meaning not only different from what nonartists see but also different from what other artists see.

Thus, it's not true that the argument is flawed because it does not "allow for the possibility that artists see the world differently than do nonartists" since, even if it's true that artist see the world differently from how nonartists do, the argument still works.
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In persons with astigmatism, the clear outer layer of the eye is defor 06 Jun 2024, 10:08
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KarishmaB

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In persons with astigmatism, the clear outer layer of the eye is deformed in a way that impairs and sometimes distorts vision. The elongated figures in the paintings of El Greco (1541–1614) were so unusual that some critics sought to explain them by hypothesizing that, without knowing it, El Greco had an astigmatism that caused everything to appear to him in the distorted way that was characteristic of his painted figures.

The proposed explanation is most vulnerable to the criticism that it fails to

A. establish that during the period in which El Greco lived, there was any correction available to those who did realize their vision was distorted
B. provide evidence that astigmatism was common in the 1500s and 1600s
C. consider that the critics who proposed the explanation might have suffered from astigmatism
D. consider the effect of the hypothesized astigmatism on El Greco's perception of his own paintings
E. allow for the possibility that artists see the world differently than do nonartists


CR18310.02
Astigmatism distorts vision.
El Greco's paintings have elongated figures.
Critics say that this is because he had astigmatism so he saw figures elongated.

This explanation fails to ... (so we need to find a gap in this explanation. Why is this explanation incorrect? What does it fail to do?)

A. establish that during the period in which El Greco lived, there was any correction available to those who did realize their vision was distorted

Whether correction was available or not is irrelevant.

B. provide evidence that astigmatism was common in the 1500s and 1600s

Whether it was common or not is again irrelevant.

C. consider that the critics who proposed the explanation might have suffered from astigmatism

The paintings do have elongated figures. It is not that just the critics are seeing elongated figures.

D. consider the effect of the hypothesized astigmatism on El Greco's perception of his own paintings

Correct. One who has astigmatism, will see ALL images distorted on his eye. So he will see the world distorted (could be elongated). But then, he will also see his paintings distorted (elongated). Say he is drawing a person with a circular face standing in front of him but it looks like an ellipse to him. He starts painting it on canvas. As soon as he draws a circle on the canvas, it will also look like an ellipse to him because the defect is in his eye so it is in everything he sees. Then, his portrayal would be authentic. This is what this option says. The critics failed to consider the effect of astigmatism on his perception of his own paintings.

E. allow for the possibility that artists see the world differently than do nonartists

Irrelevant

Answer (D)
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­ The elongated figures in the paintings of El Greco (1541–1614) were so unusual is mentioned in argument. Then how his portrayal would be authentic as you mentioned in OE? So astigmatism would not explain why El Greco painted distorted images. Because even if he had astigmatism, it would distort his perception of his own paintings.

Must admit this is a very tricky question though. 
 ­
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In persons with astigmatism, the clear outer layer of the eye is defor 22 Jun 2024, 01:19
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­(A) Not relevant: Whether corrective measures existed doesn't affect the possibility of El Greco having astigmatism.

(B) Not relevant: The prevalence of astigmatism in the 16th and 17th centuries doesn't directly address El Greco's specific case. 

(C) Not relevant: The critics' own vision isn't directly related to El Greco's. 

(D) Most relevant: Astigmatism can distort vision, but the explanation doesn't consider how El Greco might have adjusted his perception based on his own distorted view. He might have seen his paintings as "normal" despite the astigmatism-induced distortion. 

(E) Somewhat relevant, but not the most critical: Artistic vision can be different, but the argument focuses on a potential medical condition affecting El Greco's perception, not just artistic style.
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In persons with astigmatism, the clear outer layer of the eye is defor 28 Jun 2024, 19:26
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Ankit__7182

KarishmaB
Astigmatism distorts vision.

El Greco's paintings have elongated figures.

Critics say that this is because he had astigmatism so he saw figures elongated.

This explanation fails to ... (so we need to find a gap in this explanation. Why is this explanation incorrect? What does it fail to do?)

A. establish that during the period in which El Greco lived, there was any correction available to those who did realize their vision was distorted

Whether correction was available or not is irrelevant.

B. provide evidence that astigmatism was common in the 1500s and 1600s

Whether it was common or not is again irrelevant.

C. consider that the critics who proposed the explanation might have suffered from astigmatism

The paintings do have elongated figures. It is not that just the critics are seeing elongated figures.

D. consider the effect of the hypothesized astigmatism on El Greco's perception of his own paintings

Correct. One who has astigmatism, will see ALL images distorted on his eye. So he will see the world distorted (could be elongated). But then, he will also see his paintings distorted (elongated). Say he is drawing a person with a circular face standing in front of him but it looks like an ellipse to him. He starts painting it on canvas. As soon as he draws a circle on the canvas, it will also look like an ellipse to him because the defect is in his eye so it is in everything he sees. Then, his portrayal would be authentic. This is what this option says. The critics failed to consider the effect of astigmatism on his perception of his own paintings.

E. allow for the possibility that artists see the world differently than do nonartists

Irrelevant

Answer (D)
­ The elongated figures in the paintings of El Greco (1541–1614) were so unusual is mentioned in argument. Then how his portrayal would be authentic as you mentioned in OE? So astigmatism would not explain why El Greco painted distorted images. Because even if he had astigmatism, it would distort his perception of his own paintings.

Must admit this is a very tricky question though.


 
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­In case it helps, here's our explanation of why D is correct: https://gmatclub.com/forum/in-persons-w ... l#p2956648.­
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In persons with astigmatism, the clear outer layer of the eye is defor 05 Oct 2024, 11:35
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I've created a solution video for this question where I break it down in real time using Hinglish. This is a challenging question, so my approach focuses more on eliminating wrong answers rather than selecting the right one straight away. Check it out to see my thought process and strategies in action.
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In persons with astigmatism, the clear outer layer of the eye is defor 23 Jun 2025, 10:44
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This question is a fun brain teaser. Here are some fun additional thoughts: What if our guy El Greco had never known how a "typical human" would look. What if he was born with astigmatism, and ever since his birth, every human on Earth had always looked "elongated" (to a normal human being) but "normal" to him. In other words, El Greco had always thought human were always elongated (under our perspective) like that. In his world, people were just elongated figures. So, this question only works if D is included. Another plausible weakener is that somehow we can show only human figures in El Greco’s paintings were elongated while other similarly shaped objects were not. That would prove the elongated human shape is intentional.
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In persons with astigmatism, the clear outer layer of the eye is defor 24 Jun 2025, 00:42
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ReedArnoldMPREP
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hey GMATNinja! if you could please help me comprehend the answer of this question

Consider a similar question to the one in this problem:

If The way I see 'red' things is the way you see 'blue,' and the way I see 'blue' is the way you see 'red,' and I sit down to paint a red apple as I see it, what color will you *see* it? You might be tempted to say 'blue,' but that's actually not accurate. Since my red and blue is reversed, if I paint a red apple, I'll grab red paint to do so--even though I'll *see* it as blue, it matches what the apple is. If I painted the apple with blue paint, it would not look the way I see apples! (Painted an apple with blue paint is the way I could see the *accurate* version of an apple, but it would not be how I actually see apples).

So here, the theory is: if I perceive people as elongated, I wouldn't *paint* them as elongated also... because then my perception would make them even MORE elongated. I would paint the bodies as normal shaped, because that would make them appear 'normal' by my perception (even if my perception of them is 'elongated' compared to yours).
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Great example! I got it finally!
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In persons with astigmatism, the clear outer layer of the eye is defor 13 Oct 2025, 21:21
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Option D

If El Greco’s vision was distorted, that means everything he saw was elongated —
his models, his canvas, his paintings, everything.
So when he painted, he would be looking at:
  • a distorted model, and
  • a distorted canvas.
If both his input (what he saw) and his output (the painting he made) were equally distorted, then the distortion would cancel out —
he would still produce normal-looking figures (to others).
parkhydel
In persons with astigmatism, the clear outer layer of the eye is deformed in a way that impairs and sometimes distorts vision. The elongated figures in the paintings of El Greco (1541–1614) were so unusual that some critics sought to explain them by hypothesizing that, without knowing it, El Greco had an astigmatism that caused everything to appear to him in the distorted way that was characteristic of his painted figures.

The proposed explanation is most vulnerable to the criticism that it fails to

A. establish that during the period in which El Greco lived, there was any correction available to those who did realize their vision was distorted
B. provide evidence that astigmatism was common in the 1500s and 1600s
C. consider that the critics who proposed the explanation might have suffered from astigmatism
D. consider the effect of the hypothesized astigmatism on El Greco's perception of his own paintings
E. allow for the possibility that artists see the world differently than do nonartists


CR18310.02
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In persons with astigmatism, the clear outer layer of the eye is defor 28 Jan 2026, 03:48
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In persons with astigmatism, the clear outer layer of the eye is deformed in a way that impairs and sometimes distorts vision. The elongated figures in the paintings of El Greco (1541–1614) were so unusual that some critics sought to explain them by hypothesizing that, without knowing it, El Greco had an astigmatism that caused everything to appear to him in the distorted way that was characteristic of his painted figures.

The proposed explanation is most vulnerable to the criticism that it fails to

A. establish that during the period in which El Greco lived, there was any correction available to those who did realize their vision was distorted
→ irrelevant

B. provide evidence that astigmatism was common in the 1500s and 1600s
→ not at all. It was "unusual" of seeing elongated features.

C. consider that the critics who proposed the explanation might have suffered from astigmatism
→ shift the focus of the issue. Even though it was true, it has no effect on the reasoning

D. consider the effect of the hypothesized astigmatism on El Greco's perception of his own paintings
→ YES. The only option that points out a possibly intended will to paint elongated features.

E. allow for the possibility that artists see the world differently than do nonartists
→ irrelevant
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