Critical Reasoning

The Ergonomic Society conducted a study that indicated that many people develop severe back problems during adulthood, and that virtually all such people who received chiropractic treatment showed great improvement. Therefore, in order to minimize the proportion of the population that suffers from back pain, the Ergonomic Society recommended that chiropractic treatment be directed toward those adults who suffer from severe back problems. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

A.Any person who receives chiropractic treatment for back pain may also benefit from other forms of treatment.
B.Large insurance carriers cover chiropractic care for back problems to a lesser degree than they do other medical treatments.
C.Individuals who receive chiropractic or other treatment prior to developing severe back problems are not less likely to develop back pain than those who do not.
D.Chiropractic treatment is more effective in treating severe back problems when utilized over a long period of time,as opposed to sporadically.
E.Severe back pain and other problems often cause individuals to miss workdays.

Please provide explanation. I did it right, but based on elimination. c

when you negate (C) the argument falls apart, hence (C) is the answer.

Question to be asked- why is the treatment only given to people who have already got the ailment.?
Why isnt the prevention better than cure technique applied here.

C answers this.

ice_rush wrote:when you negate (C) the argument falls apart, hence (C) is the answer.

what is the logical negation of C?
+1 for C

Individuals who receive chiropractic or other treatment prior to developing severe back problems are less likely to develop back pain than those who do not


hope this helps!

Logical negation
Individuals who receive chiropractic or other treatment prior to developing severe back problems are less likely to develop back pain than those who do not


So everyone should be given chiropractic care and number of cases of back pain will be less in number.
@ice_rush - I think u missed less in your negation

agreed - it should be less likely.

Actually Option C is a strengther assumption.

It is strengthening the argument by showing that when the cause does not occur, the effect does not occur.