The five senses have traditionally been viewed as distinct yet comple

Question

The five senses have traditionally been viewed as distinct yet complementary. Each sense is thought to have its own range of stimuli that are incapable of stimulating the other senses. However, recent research has discovered that some people taste a banana and claim that they are tasting blue, or see a color and say that it has a specific smell. This shows that such people, called synesthesiacs, have senses that do not respect the usual boundaries between the five recognized senses.

Which one of the following statements, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

Which one of the following statements, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

(A) Synesthesiacs demonstrate a general, systematic impairment in their ability to use and understand words.

(B) Recent evidence strongly suggests that there are other senses besides sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste.

(C) The particular ways in which sensory experiences overlap in synesthesiacs follow a definite pattern.

(D) The synesthetic phenomenon has been described in the legends of various cultures.

(E) Synesthesiacs can be temporarily rid of their synesthetic experiences by the use of drugs.

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The conclusion is in the last sentence, that some people “have senses that do not respect the usual boundaries between the five recognized senses.” Instead of keeping their senses distinct, these individuals have an overlap. Incidentally, the condition discussed in the stimulus is not made up: synesthesiacs (or synesthetes) have a real condition known as synesthesia. Regardless of that fact, you must find an answer choice that undermines the conclusion of the argument, something that would suggest their senses do respect the usual boundaries.

Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer.  If the synesthesiacs have a systematic impairment in their use of language it may not be that their senses overlap but rather that they lack the ability to properly express themselves. Thus, their claim to taste a banana and see blue might not be a reflection of that actually occurring but rather a reflection of the words they use to describe taste. If so, this would undermine the conclusion that the senses of synesthesiacs do overlap. This is a difficult answer to identify as correct, and less than 50% of test takers are able to do so.

Answer choice (B): The appeal of this answer—and many students keep this as a Contender—is that it suggests that perhaps other senses are operating, and some test takers make the judgment that these additional senses account for the sensory overlap in synesthesiacs. Unfortunately, that judgment is not supported by the answer choice. Not enough information is provided by the answer choice to say what role, if any, is played by these other senses.

Answer choice (C): This is the most popular wrong answer choice. Do not forget to personalize the argument and consider how the author would react if faced with this answer. Would he or she surrender and admit the answer overpowers the argument? Doubtful. The author would probably react to this answer by saying something along these lines, “Exactly. Since all the individuals are synesthesiacs and suffer from the same condition, it is not surprising that there would be patterns in the way the senses overlap. Just as everyone afflicted with emphysema has difficulty breathing, the sensory patterns exhibited by synesthesiacs are just a product of the condition. The fact that their senses do not follow the usual boundaries and do so in certain ways is to be expected.” So, instead of surrendering to the answer, the author would indicate that the answer agrees with the conclusion.

Answer choice (D): This answer is out of the scope of the argument. The “legendary” status of synesthesiacs does not shed any light on the operation of their five senses.

Answer choice (E): If anything, this may strengthen the argument by indicating that the synesthesiacs are experiencing some type of phenomenon. Beyond that point, however, no information is given to suggest that their senses do not respect the usual boundaries.

Madhavi1990 · Answer

I picked C, and when saw OA, did a doubletake. But probably this is a form of 'two layers' in reasoning?
My two cents:
The five senses have traditionally been viewed as distinct yet complementary. Each sense is thought to have its own range of stimuli that are incapable of stimulating the other senses. However,  recent research has discovered that some people taste a banana and claim that they are tasting blue, or see a color and say that it has a specific smell . This shows that such people, called synesthesiacs, have senses that do not respect the usual boundaries between the five recognized senses.

Which one of the following statements, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

(A) Synesthesiacs demonstrate a general, systematic impairment in their ability to use and understand words.  Would parallel or reflect in other abilities too - this shows that there is a cognition issue and not an overlap - thus they use INCORRECT words while describing phenomenon, leading to 'overlap of sense' conclusion 
(B) Recent evidence strongly suggests that there are other senses besides sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste. 
(C) The particular ways in which sensory experiences overlap in synesthesiacs follow a definite pattern -  felt that this went against the general 'overlap' of senses as observed. 
(D) The synesthetic phenomenon has been described in the legends of various cultures. 
(E) Synesthesiacs can be temporarily rid of their synesthetic experiences by the use of drugs

Really liked this one. Here's hoping I won't pick the bait again :D
Any comments on how to avoid these 'trap' conclusions? thank you!

sananoor · Answer

Madhavi D is out of scope...conclusion is that such people, with synethesiacs" do not respect the boundaries and thus capable of stimulating other senses....we want to prove that its wrong...these senses still respect the boundaries...D says that this phenomenon is described in he legends of various culture...in fact it strengthen that it exist and capable of simulating other senses
A says that those with synesthesiacs lost the ability to understand words...it means senses do not overlap...but its the person who lost he ability to understand words and thus he/she taste banana but forget who to spell banana...hope it helps

Huahua1987 · Answer

Answer is A.

One of the assumptions is that those Synes can accurately describe the smell and color in words.

A clearly destroys such assumption, hence weakening the argument.

AcetheGMAT2019 · Answer

GMATNinja  please help - I picked C over A. Please explain why C is incorrect and why A is correct

Gokul20 · Answer

May be I can try and explain here. This option says that the way in which sensory experiences overlap has a definite pattern . According to this it is strengthening the fact that there is indeed an overlap in the senses. But we need to weaken that there is no such overlap. This says that he lost only the ability to use and understand words. Now due to this inability they are expressing the taste of banana as blue color. So it is their inability to express or understand words and not necessarily the overlap of senses. Official Power Score thread - https://forum.powerscore.com/lsat/viewtopic.php?t=3844 Hope it helps

TarPhi · Answer

The five senses have traditionally been viewed as distinct yet complementary. Each sense is thought to have its own range of stimuli that are incapable of stimulating the other senses. However, recent research has discovered that some people taste a banana and claim that they are tasting blue, or see a color and say that it has a specific smell. This shows that such people, called synesthesiacs, have senses that do not respect the usual boundaries between the five recognized senses.

Which one of the following statements, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

Which one of the following statements, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

(A) Synesthesiacs demonstrate a general, systematic impairment in their ability to use and understand words.
(B) Recent evidence strongly suggests that there are other senses besides sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste.
(C) The particular ways in which sensory experiences overlap in synesthesiacs follow a definite pattern.
(D) The synesthetic phenomenon has been described in the legends of various cultures.
(E) Synesthesiacs can be temporarily rid of their synesthetic experiences by the use of drugs.

A basically tells us that Synesthesiacs do not have senses that do not respect the usual boundaries between the five recognized senses but rather are just messing up the words as in Option A.

Option C tells us that there is an overlap, but an overlap still means that they have senses that do not respect the usual boundaries between the five recognized senses.

CEdward · Answer

The five senses have traditionally been viewed as distinct yet complementary. Each sense is thought to have its own range of stimuli that are incapable of stimulating the other senses. However, recent research has discovered that some people taste a banana and claim that they are tasting blue, or see a color and say that it has a specific smell. This shows that such people, called synesthesiacs, have senses that do not respect the usual boundaries between the five recognized senses.

Which one of the following statements, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

Which one of the following statements, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

(A) Synesthesiacs demonstrate a general, systematic impairment in their ability to use and understand words.
-this is basically suggesting that synesthesiacs don't communicate well so their claims may be false
-CORRECT

(B) Recent evidence strongly suggests that there are other senses besides sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste.
-let's suppose this is true, it doesn't necessarily weaken the idea that there is 'overlap' in the senses

(C) The particular ways in which sensory experiences overlap in synesthesiacs follow a definite pattern.
-strengthener

(D) The synesthetic phenomenon has been described in the legends of various cultures.
-strengthener

(E) Synesthesiacs can be temporarily rid of their synesthetic experiences by the use of drugs.
-strengthener

bidskamikaze · Answer

(A) Synesthesiacs demonstrate a general, systematic impairment in their ability to use and understand words. 
-  CORRECT. This shows that such people say such things due to some impairment, and not because they actually defy the usual boundaries of senses.

(B) Recent evidence strongly suggests that there are other senses besides sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste. 
-  Irrelevant.

(C) The particular ways in which sensory experiences overlap in synesthesiacs follow a definite pattern. 
-  This tends to strengthen the argument in a way.

(D) The synesthetic phenomenon has been described in the legends of various cultures. 
-  This tends to strengthen the argument in a way.

(E) Synesthesiacs can be temporarily rid of their synesthetic experiences by the use of drugs.
 Irrelevant.

Answer A.

Bambi2021 · Answer

Between A and E. E has something important to say. If by using medications, they can get rid of the phenomenon, it clearly means their senses might still "respect the boundaries" but are under the influence of some cognitive impairment.

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Thekingmaker · Answer

This wasone of the easiest question to be completed under 1 min 30 sec the simple reason we have to figure out an option that givest he special ability in devising what they are doing other than the connection through sense bounda/ry therefore as option A suggests that it might be the way the demonstrates the words from where they are picking the clues hence imo A

Mavisdu1017 · Answer

I can’t well understand the OE, and this is my own understanding:
Narrow down to A and C as others are clearly irrelevant. Compare the two: as premise says Each sense is thought to have its own range of stimuli that are incapable of stimulating the other senses, C offers an explanation why synesthesiacs have senses that do not respect the usual boundaries between the five recognized senses— —because in their senses there is an overlap of the five senses. So I think C is more like an assumption.

While A offers an alternative reason: it is not because synesthesiacs don’t respect the boundaries, but because they can’t express exactly by words. So A is a weakener.

VerbalBot · Answer

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The five senses have traditionally been viewed as distinct yet comple

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