#7 - Concept Reference, Weaken

[jimmy1115]

Follow up

also, from the previous posts, it does seem like the author is indeed treating the causal relations between prions and CJD as an absolute one: Prions being the sole cause of CJD, and it always produces CJD?

[Hanin Abu Amara]

Hi Jimmy,

so in the passage we see that in the second and fourth paragraphs there is some doubt about whether prions actually cause CJD whereas in the third paragraph there is more indication that prions are the cause of CJD. Either way we have this connection between prions and CJD. Now since here we're weakening the idea that prions caused CJD, it doesn't matter whether the passage fully comes to a conclusion about whether it is causal, the question wants you to disprove that it is. So the cause and effect strategies outlined in the bibles are applicable.

E shows us that if an anti-bacterial drug reverses CJD it isn't prions because it is bacterial. So it presents an alternative cause that introduces at least 1% of doubt which is all we look for when weakening.

Hope that helps

[lemonade42]

Hello,

To me, the part about (C) that confuses me is that it just says research has linked prions to degenerative conditions not affecting the brain or CNS. It doesn't specify "all prions" or "some prions" it just says prions. So if (C) was talking about "all prions" wouldn't that suggest that (C) undermines the claim because now all prions are not related to brain/CNS diseases (which include CJD)? But if (C) was talking about "some prions" then I could understand how we would read (C) as allowing the claim to still exist because it's talking about the different effects that prions can have. But since the answer choice doesn't specify "all" or "some", I'm confused on how to interpret it.

[Dana D]

Hey Lemonade,

The second paragraph explains that prions cause CJD, which is a degenerative brain disease. The prions can cause cell death in the brain, which results in CJD and symptoms. If answer choice (C) was true, that could just mean prions can also cause other diseases - there's still no reason to think they can't cause CJD. Line (25) already tells us prions normally exists as harmless proteins elsewhere in the body; it's possible they can cause other diseases there as well.