#10 - Specific Reference, Must Be True, Purpose/Function

[lsnewbie]

Hello,
I'm not sure why D is the correct answer to this question, in comparison to B. Sorry, I couldn't classify the question type in the subject line. I selected B because I thought while the second and third paragraphs states opposing views of humanists and scientists, the final paragraphs tells us how these two disciplines can be merged, and so the line "capable of reconciliation" in answer choice B stood out to me. I can see why D is a good answer choice, and I had narrowed it down to B or D, but ended up choosing D. Why is D better than B? Is it because the author never said that the views presented in the second and third paragraphs are "correct"?
Thank you!
JT

[Ben DiFabbio]

Hello,
I'm not sure why D is the correct answer to this question, in comparison to B. Sorry, I couldn't classify the question type in the subject line. I selected B because I thought while the second and third paragraphs states opposing views of humanists and scientists, the final paragraphs tells us how these two disciplines can be merged, and so the line "capable of reconciliation" in answer choice B stood out to me. I can see why D is a good answer choice, and I had narrowed it down to B or D, but ended up choosing D. Why is D better than B? Is it because the author never said that the views presented in the second and third paragraphs are "correct"?
Thank you!
JT

Hey JT,

The passage presents "scientific humanism" as a way to bridge the gap between practitioners of the sciences and the humanities which is in large part due to their mistaken understandings of one another. The author writes that there are "misconceptions among humanists and scientists alike that are in need of correction." Those "misconceptions" are outlined in the second and third paragraphs.

Answer choice (B) states that the views presented in the second and third paragraphs are *correct* but capable of reconciliation. In fact, it is clear that the author believes that the views presented in the second and third paragraphs are "misconceptions." So answer choice (B) contradicts the passage in part.

Answer choice (D) says the last paragraph presents an alternative to those mistaken views outlined by the author in the second and third paragraphs, which is precisely what the passage does (the alternative being scientific humanism).

I hope that helps!

Ben

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi lsnewbie,

Let's start with how to categorize this question type. For the most part, reading comp questions are in the prove family. This one, for example, is a must be true question that asks for the purpose/function of a particular part of the passage. That means that whatever answer choice we select, we will be able to find support for every part of it in the passage. If one small part of an answer choice isn't supported by the passage, the whole answer choice can be eliminated. That's actually good news because it makes it easier to eliminate wrong answers. Answers are either all right or all wrong---there's no middle ground here.

Turning to your specific question, you were spot on in your guess at the problem with answer choice (B). The fourth paragraph doesn't support the idea that the second and third paragraphs present correct views. In fact, the positions in paragraphs two and three aren't entirely able to be reconciled. For example, the claim that scientists are ONLY interested in the physical world is inconsistent with the claim that scientists consider the physical first and the other things second.

Answer choice (D) however, correctly describes what the fourth paragraph does. It presents an alternative to both the scientists' position and the humanists' position. It does so by combining aspects of each position, but not completely agreeing with either position.

Hope that helps!
Rachael