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socialized medicine

by papgust » Fri Dec 25, 2009 4:07 am
It is more desirable to have some form of socialized medicine than s system of medical care relying on the private sector. Socialized medicine is more broadly accessible than is private-sector system. In addition, since countries with socialized medicine have a lower infant morality rate than do countries with a system relying entirely on the private sector, socialized medicine seems to be technologically superior.

Which one of the following best indicates a flaw in the argument about the technological superiority of socialized medicine?
(A) The lower infant mortality rate might be due to the systems allowing greater access to Medical care
(B) There is no necessary connection between the economic system of socialism and Technological achievement.
(C) Infant mortality is a reliable indicator of the quality of medical care for children.
(D) No list is presented of the countries whose infant mortality statistics are summarized under the two categories, "socialized" and "private-sector".
(E) The argument presupposes the desirability of socialized medicine, which is what the Argument seeks to-establish.

Please explain your reasoning. Will post the OA soon.
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by maihuna » Fri Dec 25, 2009 5:17 am
papgust wrote:It is more desirable to have some form of socialized medicine than s system of medical care relying on the private sector. Socialized medicine is more broadly accessible than is private-sector system. In addition, since countries with socialized medicine have a lower infant morality rate than do countries with a system relying entirely on the private sector, socialized medicine seems to be technologically superior.

Which one of the following best indicates a flaw in the argument about the technological superiority of socialized medicine?
(A) The lower infant mortality rate might be due to the systems allowing greater access to Medical care
(B) There is no necessary connection between the economic system of socialism and Technological achievement.
(C) Infant mortality is a reliable indicator of the quality of medical care for children.
(D) No list is presented of the countries whose infant mortality statistics are summarized under the two categories, "socialized" and "private-sector".
(E) The argument presupposes the desirability of socialized medicine, which is what the Argument seeks to-establish.

Please explain your reasoning. Will post the OA soon.
A provides an alternate explanation, so it weaken the conclusion that lower mortality is due to technological superiority.

B: We are not interested in links between economic system and Technological achievement but Infant mortality rate and Technological superiority.

C: Opposite answer, if Infant mortality is a reliable indicator of the quality of medical care for children. if anything, it slightly strengthen the argument, link being quality care related with technological superiority.

D: What I will do the mortality rate

E: There is no cyclical reasoning involved here.
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by pandeyvineet24 » Fri Dec 25, 2009 8:11 am
IMO E.

the argument starts with the statement that social health care is more desirable, it presents reasons for the advantages of such a system and and then concludes that social health care is technologically superior. There are no reasons to state why private sector is technologically inferior.
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by heshamelaziry » Fri Dec 25, 2009 12:31 pm
one more vote for E
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by Testluv » Fri Dec 25, 2009 12:36 pm
Maihuna is correct; the correct answer is choice A.

Let's take a look at the question stem first (you should always read the question stem first):

Which one of the following best indicates a flaw in the argument about the technological superiority of socialized medicine?

So the question stem is very specific.

The last sentence of the argument:

since countries with socialized medicine have a lower infant morality rate than do countries with a system relying entirely on the private sector, socialized medicine seems to be technologically superior.

So, he is concluding that because the infant mortality rate is lower, countries with socialized medicine are technologically superior. A flaw in the author's reasoning is that he is attributing the better mortality rate to the possibility of superior technology; but it could be due to the fact that there is greater access to medicine in socialized medicince systems.
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by papgust » Fri Dec 25, 2009 7:20 pm
Thanks Testluv and Maihuna. OA is A


Testluv, can you explain why E is wrong?
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by Testluv » Sat Dec 26, 2009 2:44 pm
Hi papgust,

Choice E describes circular reasoning. For example:

"Dave does not write good article because Dave only writes bad articles".

Here, the author's evidence presupposes the conclusion he is seeking to establish.


But our author is not committing this flaw. This becomes more clear if you pay attention to the specificity of the question stem. If you look at the question stem, and then the stimulus, you'll see that you only have to deal with the last sentence of the passage.
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by papgust » Sat Dec 26, 2009 7:51 pm
Sorry testluv. I think i didn't get your point.

Can you explain it a bit more? Sorry for bothering you.
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by Testluv » Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:41 pm
papgust wrote:Sorry testluv. I think i didn't get your point.

Can you explain it a bit more? Sorry for bothering you.
The question stem instructs you to find a flaw in the argument about the technological superiority of socialized medicine.

...Where in the argument does the arguer start arguing about technological superiority?....

only in the LAST sentence:

"In addition, since countries with socialized medicine have a lower infant morality rate than do countries with a system relying entirely on the private sector, socialized medicine seems to be technologically superior."

So he is attributing the superior infant mortality rate to technolgical superiority. But can't the superior infant mortality rate also be due to the better access citizens have to health care under a socialized system? That's why A is correct.

Choice E is a trap for the test-taker who did not pay heed to the specific instructions in the question stem. In fact, the rest of the argument is irrelevant for the purpose of answering the question asked. (As I discussed in my previous post, chioce E describes circular reasoning, and this author is not guilty of employing circular reasoning.)

...if still unclear, then pls try and tell me what part of ityou're unclear on.
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by papgust » Sun Dec 27, 2009 3:03 am
Its clear now, thank you so much!
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