- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 8950
- Joined: Feb 02, 2011
- Thu May 05, 2016 6:49 pm
#23994
Complete Question Explanation
Resolve the Paradox. The correct answer choice is (B)
The paradox presented in this stimulus is this: although much historical scientific work has later been proven to be mistaken, modern scientists interested in the truth still study firsthand accounts of earlier scientists’ work.
The question stem requires that we resolve these apparently contradictory ideas. Why would scientists want to study accounts of work which was later shown to be mistaken? (Perhaps to learn what to avoid?) There must be some value, which will be presented in the correct answer choice.
Answer choice (A): This choice would not show why scientists would want to study historical work that they know to be mistaken, so this choice fails to resolve the paradox presented in the stimulus.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. This is the value derived from the modern study of past scientific work: lessons in scientific methodology can be drawn, even when the work from the past was later shown to be mistaken.
Answer choice (C): This stimulus is not about the valuable contributions that can be made despite mistakes, but rather about the valuable lessons that can sometime be drawn from those mistakes.
Answer choice (D): The existence of “many” (vague numerical reference) scientists who are not familiar with earlier research does not resolve the issue of why scientists in search of truth would want to study firsthand accounts of studies which were later proved to be mistaken.
Answer choice (E): Like incorrect answer choice (D) above, this choice uses a vague term (in this case, “some”) in reference to certain modern research. This does not resolve the apparent discrepancy presented in the stimulus, so this answer choice is incorrect.
Resolve the Paradox. The correct answer choice is (B)
The paradox presented in this stimulus is this: although much historical scientific work has later been proven to be mistaken, modern scientists interested in the truth still study firsthand accounts of earlier scientists’ work.
The question stem requires that we resolve these apparently contradictory ideas. Why would scientists want to study accounts of work which was later shown to be mistaken? (Perhaps to learn what to avoid?) There must be some value, which will be presented in the correct answer choice.
Answer choice (A): This choice would not show why scientists would want to study historical work that they know to be mistaken, so this choice fails to resolve the paradox presented in the stimulus.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. This is the value derived from the modern study of past scientific work: lessons in scientific methodology can be drawn, even when the work from the past was later shown to be mistaken.
Answer choice (C): This stimulus is not about the valuable contributions that can be made despite mistakes, but rather about the valuable lessons that can sometime be drawn from those mistakes.
Answer choice (D): The existence of “many” (vague numerical reference) scientists who are not familiar with earlier research does not resolve the issue of why scientists in search of truth would want to study firsthand accounts of studies which were later proved to be mistaken.
Answer choice (E): Like incorrect answer choice (D) above, this choice uses a vague term (in this case, “some”) in reference to certain modern research. This does not resolve the apparent discrepancy presented in the stimulus, so this answer choice is incorrect.
