WeakenDiff: Hard
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: A computer program beat a top doctor at identifying heart attacks on EKGs, so the author argues we should just let computers handle the job from now on.
Conclusion: The task of interpreting EKG data should be assigned exclusively to computer programs.
Reasoning: A study demonstrated that a computer program was more successful at identifying confirmed heart attacks than a highly skilled cardiologist.
Analysis: The argument assumes that the ability to identify confirmed heart attacks is the only relevant metric for evaluating diagnostic success. To weaken this, look for an answer that highlights a downside to the computer's performance, such as a high rate of 'false positives' where it identifies a heart attack when none exists. If the computer is over-sensitive, it might be 'correct' more often simply by flagging everyone, which would make it a poor substitute for a nuanced human doctor.
Conclusion: The task of interpreting EKG data should be assigned exclusively to computer programs.
Reasoning: A study demonstrated that a computer program was more successful at identifying confirmed heart attacks than a highly skilled cardiologist.
Analysis: The argument assumes that the ability to identify confirmed heart attacks is the only relevant metric for evaluating diagnostic success. To weaken this, look for an answer that highlights a downside to the computer's performance, such as a high rate of 'false positives' where it identifies a heart attack when none exists. If the computer is over-sensitive, it might be 'correct' more often simply by flagging everyone, which would make it a poor substitute for a nuanced human doctor.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage20.Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?
Correct Answer
C
If the cardiologist was better at correctly identifying non–heart-attack cases (higher specificity), then the program’s higher true-positive rate may be offset by many false positives. This undercuts the claim that EKG interpretation should be left to programs based solely on the reported advantage.
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