Question

Sleep deprivation is a known cause of workplace error, and many physicians frequently go without sleep for periods of 24 hours or more. However, few of these physicians have, in the course of a routine examination by a peer, been diagnosed with sleep deprivation. So there is little cause for concern that habitual sleep deprivation will cause widespread physician error.
The answer to which of the following questions would be most helpful in evaluating the argument?

• A. Do physicians who have been diagnosed with sleep disorders also show signs of other ills not related to sleep deprivation?
• B. Is the ability to recognize the symptoms of sleep deprivation in others significantly impaired by habitual sleep deprivation?
• C. Do factors other than habitual sleep deprivation ever lead to errors in the workplace on the part of physicians?
• D. Of people who have recently been treated by physicians, what percentage believe that many physicians have occasionally suffered from sleep deprivation?
• E. Is the incidence of sleep deprivation higher among physicians than it is among other health care workers?

Hint:

To evaluate an argument, look for the weakest link or the biggest assumption in the reasoning. The most helpful question will be one that tests the validity of that weak link. Here, the argument assumes that peer review is an effective tool for detecting sleep deprivation.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is an "evaluate the argument" question. We need to find the question whose answer would best help us decide if the argument's reasoning is strong or weak. We must first identify the argument's premise and conclusion.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Argument Breakdown:
\begin{itemize} \item Premise 1: Many physicians are sleep-deprived. \item Premise 2: Few of these physicians are diagnosed with sleep deprivation by their peers during routine exams. \item Conclusion: Therefore, there is little cause for concern about widespread physician error from sleep deprivation. \end{itemize} The argument's logic rests on the assumption that the lack of diagnosis by peers is reliable evidence that the problem is not severe enough to cause concern. The argument is weak if there's a reason why the peer examinations are failing to detect the problem. We need to ask a question that probes this potential weakness.
Let's evaluate the options:
\begin{itemize} \item (A) Other illnesses are irrelevant to the link between sleep deprivation, diagnosis, and error. \item (B) This question directly challenges the validity of the key premise. The argument relies on peer examinations to gauge the extent of the problem. If the peers who are conducting the examinations are themselves sleep-deprived and therefore unable to recognize the symptoms in others, then the low diagnosis rate is meaningless. Answering "yes" to this question would completely undermine the argument. Answering "no" would strengthen it. Therefore, this question is crucial for evaluating the argument. \item (C) Other causes of error are irrelevant. The argument is specifically about whether sleep deprivation is a cause for concern. \item (D) Patients' beliefs are not relevant evidence for the actual incidence or impact of physician sleep deprivation. \item (E) Comparing physicians to other health care workers is irrelevant to evaluating the problem within the physician community itself. \end{itemize} Step 3: Final Answer:
The most helpful question is the one that investigates the reliability of the evidence cited (the low rate of peer diagnosis). If the peers are incapable of making an accurate diagnosis, the evidence is useless, and the argument collapses.