People who are overweight who are trying to lose weight through exercise are more likely to succeed if their physician greatly exaggerates the dangers of being overweight. Similar strategies can be used for habit formation in other contexts. But since such strategies involve deception, individuals cannot easily adopt them unless a physician or some other third party provides the warning.


Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

  1. Most of the techniques that help people exercise can also help people create other habits.
  2. People generally do not find it easy to deceive themselves.
  3. A physician is justified in deceiving a client whenever doing so is likely to make the client healthier.
  4. People tend to believe whatever physicians tell them.
  5. The more the relevant danger is exaggerated, the more likely one is to begin healthy habits.

OA: B

Question type: Assumption

Difficulty level: Medium

Summary of the argument: The argument states that they must be deceived by either a physician or a third party for a specific strategy to work. The argument ignores the possibility that individuals can deceive themselves. 

  1. This is irrelevant to the argument at hand.
  2.  This is correct as it addresses the gap in the logic of the argument. 
  3. That a physician is justified to do so is irrelevant to the argument at hand. 
  4. This while relevant does not help bridge the gap between the evidence and conclusion of this argument. 
  5. This is stated in the argument and therefore does not suggest any assumption the argument might have. 

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