Question

Advertisement: Anyone who exercises knows from firsthand experience that exercise leads to better performance of such physical organs as the heart and the lungs, as well as to improvement in muscle tone. And since your brain is a physical organ, your actions can improve its performance, too. Act now. Subscribe to Stimulus: read the magazine that exercises your brain. The advertisement employs which one of the following argumentative strategies? (A) It cites experimental evidence that subscribing to the product being advertised has desirable consequences. (B) It ridicules people who do not subscribe to Stimulus by suggesting that they do not believe that exercise will improve brain capacity. (C) It explains the process by which the product being advertised brings about the result claimed for its use. (D) It supports its recommendation by a careful analysis of the concept of exercise. (E) It implies that brains and muscle are similar in one respect because they are similar in another respect.

Short answer

The advertisement uses an analogy between physical organs and the brain, implying similarity (Option E).

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Argument of the Advertisement

The key part of the advertisement's argument is that exercising physical organs leads to better performance, and since the brain is also a physical organ, exercising it (by reading Stimulus) will improve its performance.

Identify the Advertising Strategy

The advertisement uses an analogy between the known effects of physical exercise on physical organs like the heart and lungs to suggest similar effects on the brain. It implies that if exercise benefits the heart and muscles due to their physical nature, reading the magazine will benefit the brain in a similar way.

Match the Strategy to the Options

Consider the choices: - Option A talks about citing experimental evidence, which is not provided in the ad. - Option B involves ridicule, which is not present. - Option C suggests explaining a process, which the ad doesn’t do. - Option D involves careful analysis, but the ad doesn't perform this. - Option E involves implying similarity, which matches the argument.

Choose the Correct Option

The advertisement uses the analogy that the brain, being a physical organ like muscles, can improve with an activity like reading, hence implying a similarity in its improvement mechanism. This matches Option E.

Key concepts

Argumentative Strategies

Argumentative strategies are the backbone of persuasion. They shape how arguments are presented to convince or influence the audience. In the context of the advertisement, the primary strategy employed is analogical reasoning.
There are various strategies that advertisers can use:

• Appealing to authority: Citing experts or studies to back up claims.
• Emotional appeal: Targeting the emotional responses of the audience.
• Logical appeal: Using reasoning or common sense to prove a point.
• Analogical argument: Drawing parallels between familiar concepts to explain an idea.

Understanding these strategies can help identify how arguments are constructed, which is critical for logical reasoning tasks like those found in the LSAT exam.

Analogical Reasoning

Analogical reasoning involves making connections between two seemingly unrelated things by highlighting the similarities they share. The advertisement relies heavily on this type of reasoning.
In the example provided, the ad draws an analogy between physical exercise and mental exercise:

• Just as physical exercise improves the heart and lungs, the ad suggests that reading Stimulus exercises the brain.
• The analogy relies on the shared characteristic that both heart and brain are physical organs that can be enhanced through regular exercise.

This approach works well, as it leverages the audience's existing knowledge about physical fitness to propose a similar improvement for mental fitness through reading.

Advertising Analysis

When examining advertisements, one must be critical of the methods and strategies advertisers use to persuade consumers.
Let's break down how the advertisement in question employs specific strategies:

• The ad uses an analogy to equate brain exercise with physical exercise, without direct evidence.
• It proposes the magazine as a solution for mental fitness, banking on the reader's acceptance of the benefits of physical exercise.
• Advertisements like this often rely on simplification and association to make their point quickly to the audience.

Understanding the underlying techniques can empower consumers to make more informed decisions about their purchases.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is essential when analyzing claims presented in advertisements or similar arguments. It involves dissecting arguments to evaluate their validity and reliability.
Here’s how critical thinking applies to the given advertisement:

• Question the premise: Does reading really equate to brain exercise in the same way jogging affects the heart?
• Consider evidence: What studies or facts support the claim that reading Stimulus improves brain performance?
• Identify biases: Is the claim designed to persuade rather than inform, potentially skewing the facts?

Employing critical thinking helps differentiate between logically sound arguments and those relying on emotional or misleading strategies. This skill is crucial, especially when preparing for tests like the LSAT, where logical reasoning is tested.