#16 - Madden: Industrialists address problems by simplifying

[Lucas Moreau]

Hello, reop,

E goes a little bit too far for such a question - the stimulus isn't saying that every decision by an industrialist is flawed! The stimulus is making a point that the problem solving approach typical to that of an industrialist doesn't work in this specific instance, because they seek to simplify where that isn't a good idea.

B is better, because it doesn't attack the industrialist's overall problem-solving method. It just says that it's not applicable in this situation of farming, where problems shouldn't be simplified.

Hope that helps,
Lucas Moreau

[reop6780]

I have not idea why I ended my question with E.

I meant D.

I was confused between B and D, and ended up choosing D.

[reop6780]

I guess the issue of the stimuli is the problem caused by "oversimplication" rather than "industrialists"?

Hence, the answer B is the correct one as it suggests the resolution of the problem of oversimplication by viewing farming in complexity...?

[Lucas Moreau]

Hello, reop,

Yes, your last explanation got it exactly right. It's not that simplifying things never works, it's that it isn't suitable in this instance. The industrialists don't go around destroying everything they touch, they just need to learn to be a little more flexible in their approach.

Hope that helps,
Lucas Moreau

[reop6780]

Yesss, thanks, Lucas!

[TOgren2424]

Still a little bit confused on the choice between (B) and (D) on this one.

If the question stem asked us "which one of the following can be properly inferred from the statements above?" would (D) then be correct as well?

I understand how (B) is correct in the principle context. It is not because they are "industrial' solutions that they fail at solving farming problems. It is because industrial solutions lead to oversimplification and this oversimplification is not conducive to solving farming problems. Hence, farming problems should be viewed in all of their complexity. This is the principle that underlies the statements above.

However, if the question asked us what must be true based on the statements above without reference to principle (D) would also be correct? Since industrial solutions-->oversimplification--> not conducive to solving farming problems. This is true based on the statements in the stimulus, but it does not get at what the principle of the stimulus is.

[AthenaDalton]

Hi TOgren,

Thanks for your question!

Answer choice (D) wouldn't be correct even if the prompt asked about a general application of principles. The speaker in this question, Madden, says that "Industrialists address problems by simplifying them . . . [which] usually leads to oversimplification."

The word "usually" leaves open the possibility that an industrial solution to farming could, in some rare instance, be a good solution. So when answer choice (D) uses the language that "Industrial solutions for problems in farming should never be sought," it goes beyond the what the information in the prompt tells us. The difference between "usually a bad idea" and "always a bad idea" is small, but important for this question.

I hope that makes sense!

Athena Dalton