QUESTION TEXT: In a recent study of arthritis, researchers tried…
QUESTION TYPE: Complete The Argument
CONCLUSION: The conclusion will probably be that the weather doesn’t affect arthritis pain.
REASONING: Arthritis sufferers who thought the weather affected their pain gave completely different start times for their pain during the same weather conditions. There was no correlation between weather and pain.
ANALYSIS: The study is leading toward a conclusion. The researchers failed to find any correlation between pain and weather. And when people said weather caused pain, they all gave different start times for their pain.
In short, the study found no evidence that weather causes pain, and plenty of evidence that weather does not cause pain. The conclusion will likely be that the correlation doesn’t exist.
___________
- The researchers found no correlation between weather and pain. So it’s unlikely the study would conclude that weather actually was the cause.
- This might be true, in a narrow technical sense. Arthritis sufferers think that weather affects the intensity of their pain.
But it’s not the conclusion of the argument. The entire argument is leading towards the idea that arthritis sufferers are imagining the correlation between weather and pain. All the evidence showed the arthritis sufferer’s were making things up.
You’re looking for the conclusion, not something that is true! - CORRECT. The researchers found no correlation. And there wasn’t any consistency in how long it took for weather to “cause” pain.
- The entire argument is leading towards the conclusion that there is no such thing as weather-caused arthritis pain.
- What an odd answer. The study has investigated the correlation, and found none. Scientific investigation is clearly possible. Sometimes the result of scientific investigation is to disprove ideas.
Recap: The question begins with “In a recent study of arthritis, researchers tried”. It is a Complete the Argument question. To practice more Complete the Argument questions, have a look at the LSAT Questions by Type page.
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Kat says
The correct answer says that the arthritis sufferers are apparently “imagining” a correlation. Doesn’t this go cause problems regarding medical/scientific ethics? Wouldn’t it be out of line for the researchers of the study to question and possibly undermine the pain that these individuals claim to be experiencing? Just wondering.
FounderGraeme Blake says
The study isn’t questioning the pain they feel. It only suggests the correlation with weather is false. Arthritis sufferers make two claims:
1. I have a lot of pain
2. It happens with certain weather
The study casts doubt on #2, not #1.
Further, it is possible for people to be wrong and for sense perceptions to mislead. You have to be careful with such things, but subjective impressions aren’t automatically correct.
The weirdest LSAT question in this respect was the synestheia question, which basically did say “People with synesthesia don’t know what words mean” and went much further than this question. I thought that one wasn’t justified.
Doe says
Hey guys, love your work. Just wanted to say that the Question Text part is swapped. Q24 Section 2 and Q24 Section 4 have the other’s Question Text.
FounderGraeme Blake says
Thank you! We fixed this, forgot to reply earlier.
Note: This is an old comment but I wanted to address it.