#7 - Coherent solutions for the problem of reducing health-

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

Method of Reasoning. The correct answer choice is (C)

Whenever you have a method of reasoning question that utilizes any type of technique that jumps out at you, it is important to key in on that technique. The most common technique that falls within this concept is the use of analogy. Whenever you come across an analogy in the stimulus, followed by a method of reasoning question, there is a good chance that the answer will focus on that analogy.

Answer Choice (A): While the argument is definitely not in favor of shifting costs onto the patient, that concept comes across mainly an afterthought to the overall problems with the system. Remember, method of reasoning questions should be approached just like a must be true question, and here there is nothing going on in the stimulus to support this answer choice as the method of reasoning.

Answer Choice (B): No fraudulent intent is attributed to anybody in the stimulus. The stimulus author is attacking the system. At no point does the argument go after any group of people as having fraudulent intent.

Answer Choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. The analogy used is that of the balloon which, when pushed in one area, bulges out somewhere else. This analogy supports the overall argument that the current system, while seeming to cut costs in certain areas, really just ends up putting them somewhere else.

Answer Choice (D): At no point does the stimulus disparage any possible alternatives. The stimulus is attacking the current system and the current system only. While not coming right out and saying it, the argument seems to imply that a more comprehensive approach to the system may solve many problems.

Answer Choice (E): While an "instance" is cited within the stimulus, it is cited to demonstrate the flaws of the current system, not to show the feasibility of a possible solution to that current system.

[allisonellen7]

[copyrighted material removed]

Why is C correct?? I put A. I don't understand how this is an analogy when the entire passage is talking about cutting health care costs??

[Ron Gore]

Hi Allison,

Welcome to the forum! You'll notice that I edited your question to remove the copyrighted material. We are not permitted to include the entire stimulus and answer choices in our posts. Thanks!

As to your question, the analogy is that of the "pliable spending balloon." A piecemeal approach in which spending is cut in discrete areas won't work because the expense will just shift to another area of the budget, like squeezing one part of a balloon will push the air to another part of the balloon.

Let me know if I can help further.

Thanks!

Ron

[allisonellen7]

Great! Sorry about that and thanks so much for your help!

[biskam]

I would like to make sure I have the proper definition of an analogy... is it simply when you compare two ideas to each other?

thanks!

[James Finch]

Hi Biksam,

An analogy (for LSAT purposes) is the usage of a relationship between two things to explain the relationship between two other things. Normally, but not always, the two sets of things are unrelated.

For example:

Rock is a genre of music, just like crime dramas are a genre of TV shows.

Hope this clears things up!

[Linabear218]

Hi!

I chose answer D. I am still a little confused. In the first sentence it says that coherent solutions for the problem of reducing healthcare cost cannot be found within the current piecemeal systems of paying these costs.

I thought it meant it was denying the possibility of a solution.

[Jeff Wren]

Hi Lina,

You want to be very careful with noticing the exact wording of the stimulus. The sentence that you cited, "coherent solutions for the problem of reducing healthcare cost cannot be found within the current piecemeal systems of paying these costs" (my emphasis) does not say or imply that all solutions are impossible. There may be possible solutions, just not with the current system. In other words, the entire system may need to be changed, but that is not the same as denying all possible solutions.

Also, don't ignore the second half of Answer D "by disparaging each possible alternative system." Do you see anywhere in the argument where each possible alternative system is disparaged? If not, then the answer must be wrong. Wrong answers in Method of Reasoning questions often start out good, but then go wrong in the second half of the answer, so make sure that the entire answer correctly describes what occurs in the argument.

Finally, it is a good idea to prephrase the answer before looking at the answer choices. If you are able to identify any clear types of reasoning in the stimulus (such as the analogy of the balloon in this argument), that will help you focus on what you are looking for in the correct answer.

[Linabear218]

Thank you so much! I am having a hard time understanding this question type. How should I approach this question type so I can avoid making this mistake again?

[Adam Tyson]

A question that asks how an argument proceeds, or what the strategy or method is, is what we call a Method of Reasoning question. If you are in one of our courses, have our books, or are working with a tutor, you should have access to some of our materials that discuss this question type, so definitely look into those!

The short answer, though, is that Method of Reasoning questions are asking for an abstract (not detailed or topic-driven) description of what the author did in the course of making their argument. These are in the same family as Must Be True questions, and so the correct answer has to accurately reflect the information in the stimulus without bringing in anything beyond what the stimulus did and without over-stating the strength of the argument. In other words, the correct answer must be true! Any answer that describes something the author didn't do will be a wrong answer.

So, if an answer refers to an expert opinion, but there was no expert opinion in the argument, it's a wrong answer. If it says the argument relies on an analogy, but there is no analogy in the stimulus, that's also a wrong answer. Just pick the one answer that truthfully, accurately describes what the author did. And to do that, you should always prephrase: ask yourself "what did this author do in an attempt to prove their position?" Not what did they say - that's the topic - but what did they do. Describe their actions rather than their words.

So, read the stimulus. Take note of the conclusion. Ask yourself how the author went about trying to prove that conclusion. Then, sort the answers into losers (the ones that don't correctly describe what happened) and contenders (the ones that do, or that you aren't sure about), and then select the best answer from among those contenders. The other answers will all be wrong for some reason. They will describe something that didn't happen. That's all there is to it!