#5 - Animals with a certain behavioral disorder have

[kappe]

This Assumption question the correct asnwer is B i chose E. B was my second answer choice I did the assumption negation and to me, E Challegend the queation more than B where am i going wrong ? Please help

[Lucas Moreau]

Hello, kappe,

Answer choice E, even if negated, doesn't really speak to the heart of the question. Remember that the correct answer of an Assumption question can always be stated in the following format:

If [Conclusion in stimulus], then [Correct answer choice].

This is because an Assumption is a necessary condition of the conclusion. An Assumption must be true in order for the conclusion to logically follow.

As far as Assumption Negation, if answer choice E was negated, then it would state "Aluminum is sometimes present in normal brain tissue." But we're not talking about normal brain tissue - we're talking only about brain tissue of animals with a certain behavioral disorder, as described in the first paragraph.

If you negate answer choice B, then it comes out to "Aluminum is not the cause of the disorder." That would greatly weaken the conclusion that removing the aluminum from the brain tissue with the silicon-based compound would treat the disorder - if aluminum isn't the cause but is in fact an effect, removing it won't cure the disorder.

Hope that helps,
Lucas Moreau

[kappe]

Thank you, may you please expound more on this statement,
If [Conclusion in stimulus], then [Correct answer choice]. I sense if I can grasp it it will be of great benefit

[David Boyle]

Thank you, may you please expound more on this statement,
If [Conclusion in stimulus], then [Correct answer choice]. I sense if I can grasp it it will be of great benefit

Hello,

The conclusion is like a sufficient condition, and the right answer choice is a necessary condition. This is because an assumption is something that is necessary, an unstated premise.
So, C A. (The conclusion presupposes a certain assumption) The contrapositive of this is slash A slash C, since if the assumption is not true, the conclusion has no firm support, and crashes down into nothing, like a roof if the foundation of a house collapses.

Hope this helps,
David