#15 - Specific Reference, Must Be True, Purpose

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=14270)

SR, Must—Purpose. The correct answer choice is (D)

This question requires an understanding of the structure of the passage; as discussed in the
ViewSTAMP analysis above, the author uses the second paragraph to present the central issue with
theoretical equipoise: this traditional standard may be too strict. Such a state of mind, says the author
is very difficult to achieve and even more difficult to maintain.

Answer choice (A): This choice might be appealing if read too quickly. The viewpoint presented in
the second paragraph is that of the author, who believes that theoretical equipoise may be too strict.
This is a view that is in favor of clinical equipoise—it is not a view that contrasts with arguments in
favor of this new standard.

Answer choice (B): The author does mention several possible reasons for differing treatment
preferences among physicians (intuition, interpretation of available evidence, etc.) but the author
does not explore these factors, and this is not the primary purpose of the second paragraph.

Answer choice (C): The author does not take with the underlying moral principle but rather with the
unrealistic standard for physician participants in comparative treatment studies.

Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. As prephrased above, in the second
paragraph the author presents the main problem with theoretical equipoise.

Answer choice (E): The author does not believe that there are inherent conflicts involved in
equipoise; instead, the author believes that clinical equipoise is a reasonable ethical standard.

[zsg2@cornell.edu]

Hello,

I was stuck between (D) and (E) here. I didn't like (E) at first because of the phrase "general notion of equipoise" which I think there could be some support for attributing to theoretical equipoise but is not explicitly supported in the passage. I read (E) as talking about the conflicts that arise out of trying to follow the standard but I should've been more careful to understand this answer as referring to a conflict in the "general notion of equipoise" itself, not its application. HOWEVER, one thing that bugged me with (D) is that it says that the second paragraph states the "main difficulty with adhering to the standards of theoretical equipoise." I could be mistaken but I don't think the author ever explicitly stated that the difficulty mentioned in the second paragraph is the MAIN difficulty with adhering to the standard. I understand how this can be inferred, I guess, because why else would the author mention that difficulty and none other? That said, I am finding that sometimes I am paying to much attention to absolutes ("main", "the only", "biggest reason", etc.) and other times not paying close enough attention.

I would greatly appreciate a response that reflects on my thought process for ultimately removing (E) and accepting (D) in this case as well as a more general discussion of absolutes in primary purpose questions / RC more broadly.

[Adam Tyson]

It all starts with your prephrase, zsg2@cornell.edu! Looking back at the second paragraph before looking at any answer choices, you can probably see that the primary purpose of the paragraph is to show what's wrong with the traditional view of equipoise, aka theoretical equipoise. That's what you want the right answer to say: to show the problems with theoretical equipoise.

Answer E is too broad, because the author is fine with the general notion of equipoise, as evidenced by the rest of the passage in which they advance a different view of equipoise that they find to be more workable. There's nothing wrong with equipoise, as long as it's clinical and practical rather than theoretical and impractical.

Taking that approach, answer D should look great, especially in comparison to all the other answers. And it's that comparison that matters the most, since we are supposed to select the best answer of the ones provided rather than a perfect answer (which may not exist).

Being suspicious of strong language like "most" and "best" and "never" is a good thing, but don't let those suspicions prevent you from selecting an answer that is still better than all the others. As the saying goes, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good! Don't reject an answer that you feel is imperfect if it means you then have to select an answer that you know is wrong.

[zsg2@cornell.edu]

Touche, Adam. Thanks very much.