7-82 #21 Flaw

[swong1267]

Hi,

I don't understand why A is the correct answer here. Specifically, I don't see why a more harmful surgical procedure weakens the argument.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[Jennifer Janowsky]

Hi!

The stimulus argues that clinical trials should not be used for new surgical procedures, on the basis that surgery success depends on the skill of the surgeon.

The reason why (A) is chosen is because the argument does not address what would happen if the new procedure was actually worse than the alternatives. For example: if a new type of surgery for gastric bypass were intrinsically linked to organ failure later in life. If this were the case, trials may be needed in order to weed circumstances out which are not improvements on existing surgeries. That is why (A) is chosen as a flaw.

Hope this answers your question!