Q3 - Announcement for a television program: Are

[alovitt]

How is C correct? It honestly seems like a flaw itself... Just because asking patients is the best way to recieve an answer does not rule out the possibility that doctors can also provide the answer just fine. The real assumption being made seems to be that the doctors' responses accurately reflect the truth, and not whether or not this is the best way to go about collecting data.

[timmydoeslsat]

The ad announcement tells us to tune in tomorrow to get the answer to the question of "Are female docs more sensitive than male docs to the needs of women?"

If it were true, as C states, the patients are best able to provide answers than the doctors, then we will be unsure if we will really have the correct answer to the question.

The docs could say yes, female docs are more sensitive. That would be the answer. Yet, those best able to answer the question are not given a voice. Therefore, we may not really be getting the answer the ad claims.

The ad would not be answering the question if docs gave the answer rather than the actual patients according to choice C.

[alovitt]

Right, but still just because patients are the best does not imply that doctors cannot answer the questions. For example, just because a carpenter might be best able to nail two boards together does not suggest that because I am not a carpenter I cannot nail two boards together. Sure, the carpenter is the best, and thus much better at it than I am, but that does not mean that I cannot adequately complete such a task. Likewise, even if it were true that patients were the best at providng answers does not rule out the possibility that physicians can do the same thing, not as well though. It just seems like a flaw to assume such a thing on the LSAT. If it said doctors cannot answer the questions then it would be a flaw, but it in no way suggests that.

[timmydoeslsat]

You are absolutely right with your interpretation on how to handle the word best on the LSAT. Just because somebody is the best, that does not preclude other things from getting the job done (as with your nail example).

We are asked to identify the flaw in the plan. The plan is to ask physicians, both male and female, the question posed to get the answer.

The question is if female docs are more sensitive to a woman's needs as a patient compared to a male doc.

If it is true that patients are best able to provide answers to this question, why are they not present? This shows the problem with the plan. This shows that this tv show may not get the possible answer.


To your nail problem, it would be like this:

Can two pieces of wood be nailed together? To get the answer, will have a 6 month old baby on the show tomorrow. Tune in.

The flaw in the plan is that we will really not get the answer due to who we are having on the show.

[cliev003]

From what you've all posted. C is the best answer because it identifies the flaw that the patients are best able to give an answer rather than physicians. Based on the other answer choices that I've read, they're either vague or generalize instead of implying that the best people are voiceless.

Is my reasoning sound?

[contropositive]

I came across this problem in my homework assignment and I have no idea why but for some reason the prep-course company has listed it under Weakning questions even though this is flaw question.
Anyway the point is, I chose B when I was between B and C.
C seemed incorrect to me because its about the sensitivity of the physicians, not patients. How would patients be able to answer the question? patients wouldn't know how these physicians are feeling about treating females.

i picked B because if there are less female physicans to select from then it would be unlikely for the TV programmer to get an accurate answer.

[rinagoldfield]

This is a really unusual question. It doesn’t follow the argument core format; it instead offers a question and a method of answering that question.

Question: are female doctors or male doctors more sensitive to the needs of female patients?
Method: let’s ask the doctors.

However, only patients can answer whether their needs are being met.

(C) gets at exactly this issue. The only way to know which doctors are more sensitive to the patients’ needs is to check in with the patients.

Here’s an analogy:

Question: Do cats or pollen induce more analogies for Jeremy?
Method: let’s examine cats and pollen.

However, we actually need to check in with Jeremy. Only he can tell us whether cats or pollen make him sneeze more.

(A) Discusses treatment style, which is different than sensitivity.
(B) Addresses a different question–is it possible for patients to choose the sex of their doctor?—than the question at hand—who is a better doctor?
(D) discusses research rather than sensitivity.
(E) talks about a solution to insensitivity, but does not address which physicians are sensitive.

[ling.75]

Ur explanation is not quite right. "A is the only way to know" is not the same as "A is the best way to know"

[OrlandoG178]

I chose A. The reason that I felt like this was a loaded question. Asking male doctors if women doctors are more sensitive to female patients kinda tells me that male doctors are put on the spot and won't give a truthful answer. So I thought that maybe they won't share their thoughts on the treatment style of other doctors. I was in between A and C. I really wanted to chose C because it made sense but A took over my mind lol.