Q4 - Statistics indicating a sudden increase

[tzyc]

I eliminated (B)-(E), leaving (A) to choose but not sure why it is the answer...how is a better cognizance of a prob related to new statistical data??

[timmydoeslsat]

This can be related to our everyday lives so easily can't it? For instance, you may have heard that mental disorder/illness rates are rising so quickly. The mental disorder/illness rates are higher now than ever before. So does this mean that we have an epidemic on our hands the likes of which we have never seen? Perhaps. Or perhaps our society has enhanced its ability to actually detect these issues that have always existed in humans.

This stimulus hashes this issue out. We may not need to revamp the new ways of life in this century as these things may not be causing the illness, perhaps the illness is as it always was and we are just better able to detect it.

Answer choice A is telling us that a better awareness of a problem is not sufficient for taking drastic action. Now would we want drastic action if it were the case that people were falling prey to mental illnesses or disorders at a faster rate than the past AND we had not improved our detection procedures? Sure. We would be concerned about something new in the world that may be causing this issue now...that was not being caused to the same extent as in the past.

[shirando21]

I have trouble eliminating D.

Please help.

[timmydoeslsat]

I have trouble eliminating D.

Please help.

This argument makes no mention of data being manipulated. We are only dealing with the interpretation of data. This arguer is making the point that there could be alternative explanations for why statistics show an increase in a phenomenon. It might be the case, the arguer notes, that the awareness of a phenomenon is greater, so we are not actually dealing with a physical increase in the act itself. We simply better at documenting and recording this fact.

So the real principle being advocated in this argument is one of skepticism involving people who want to create a solution for a "rising" problem.

[maryadkins]

Good discussion guys. Let me know if there's still confusion.

[pinchuspolack]

Hi! Still hung up on answer A. Can't one be cognizant of a problem but a lack of reporting the appropriate data stops it from becoming "new statistical data", as mentioned in the prompt? The focus of the prompt is a reaction to new statistical data, not necessarily cognizance.

Thanks in advanced!

[maryadkins]

Yeah, for (A) to make sense, you have to reference the part of the stimulus telling you that greater cognizance often influences stats. Without this, there would be more of a leap in (A). But we're told that they're linked (the stimulus says "awareness," but same thing), so we go with it.