Logical reasoning PrepTest 150 · Section 2 · Question 5

Incorrect. This answer defines situations under which someone might be charged with manslaughter, whereas the stimulus is about being guilty of the crime. Those two aren't the same thing, so this answer is wrong.

Incorrect. The stimulus says the procedure is risky, but it doesn't connect this to death (maybe the high risk is of permanent disability). This answer also creates a necessary condition for being guilty of manslaughter, whereas to justify the conclusion we need an answer that establishes a sufficient condition for it.

Incorrect. First, this answer sets up a necessary condition for manslaughter, and the correct answer will establish a sufficient condition for it. Second, there's no indication in the stimulus that the doctors intend the loss of life functions to be irreversible (in fact, since they attempt to restart them, the opposite is suggested).

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Strengthen (Principle)

Stimulus Summary:
There's a surgery where the doctors intentionally freeze someone until their heart and brain stop. After they're done, they warm them up. If the heart and brain don't restart, the medical team is guilty of manslaughter.

Answer Anticipation:
Manslaughter? That came out of nowhere. What elements make up manslaughter? The argument accuses the medical team of a crime without establishing what makes one guilty of that crime. The correct answer will establish that the details of the procedure are sufficient to establish that someone is guilty of the crime.

Answer Explanation:
This answer choice connects the details of the procedure to the crime of manslaughter. It also establishes these details as sufficient to establishing guilt. It also establishes the details as necessary to establishing guilt, but that's not relevant to determining whether it's correct.

Key Takeaway:
For Strengthen (Principle) question, the correct answer will frequently take the form: If (details from the premise), then (conclusion). Frequently, trap answers will present the conclusion as the sufficient condition, which doesn't help to justify it.

Incorrect. The patient has provided informed consent, and there's no indication that the patient would die without the surgery, so this answer choice doesn't apply.