Question
Geneticists say that they are very close to confirming the genetic roots of psychiatric illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia, and consequently, that doctors will be able to eradicate these diseases through early identification and gene therapy.
On which of the following assumptions does the statement above rely?
Official answer and solution
- Official answer
- B
- From
- Official GATE 2014 answer key
Solution
Identify the unstated premise that must hold true for the conclusion to follow from the premise.
Premise: Geneticists are close to confirming the genetic roots of illnesses like depression and schizophrenia.
Conclusion: Doctors will be able to eradicate these diseases through gene therapy and early identification.
For the conclusion to hold, these illnesses must actually have a genetic cause or basis, otherwise identifying genetic roots and applying gene therapy would be ineffective.
- Option B directly states that certain psychiatric illnesses have a genetic basis, which is an indispensable assumption.
- Option A assumes that strategies are already available, but the passage speaks about future capability ('will be able').
- Option C is overly broad ('all human diseases').
- Option D makes an extreme claim ('only relevant field').
B
Selecting extreme statements like C or D that go far beyond what is necessary for the conclusion.
The answer is the one in the official GATE answer key. The solution is this site's own explanation.
Source
- Paper
- GATE 2014 Computer Science and Information Technology (CS) Session 1
- Question
- 7 of 65, printed as GA Q.7
- Section
- General Aptitude
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