Newtonian physics dominated science for

Answer choices

1. A

   Too Strong/Broad: history of physics12% picked this

   The history of physics is characterized by a pattern of one successful theory subsequently

   We only know about Newton and Einstein. We can't derive a must be true inference that what we were told about them represents some pattern that has characterized the whole history of physics.

   12%
2. B

   Correct82% picked this

   Long-standing success of substantiation of a theory of physics is no guarantee that the theory will continue

   Why this is right

   We're super attracted to the soft wording here: X is no guarantee that Y can be proven with one data point in which X occurred and Y didn't. Do we have an example in which "a theory of physics had long-standing success of substantiation" but "it did not continue to be dominant indefinitely"? Sure, Newtonian physics is an example of that. If was successfully applied on a consistent basis for over two centuries. It was one of the most highly substantiated theories in the history of science. But, it is no longer dominant today. It stopped being dominant in the early 1900s when Einstein's theories came to show the limits of Newtonian physics and to surpass the Newtonian view.

   Skill tested: Must be True · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   82%
3. C

   Too Strong: every theory1% picked this

   Every theory of physics, no matter how successful, is eventually surpassed by one that

   We have one example in which a successful theory (Newton's) was surpassed by another successful theory. We can't derive from one example that this sort of thing happens to every single theory of physics.

   1%
4. D

   Too Strong: all accepted theories1% picked this

   Once a theory of physics is accepted, it will remain dominant

   We know of one theory (Newton's) that, once accepted, remained dominant for centuries. We can't derive from one example that this same thing would happen to every single theory of physics that gets accepted. Maybe some of them are only dominant for a few decades, or for just one century.

   1%
5. E

   Too Strong: must be equally successful5% picked this

   If a long-accepted theory of physics is surpassed, it must be surpassed by a theory

   We have one example of a long-accepted theory (Newton's) that got surpassed by another successful theory. We were never told that Einstein's theory was equally successful, so we can't even justify the wording in this answer choice for one data point. But this answer is also making a sensational, categorical claim that every single time a long-accepted theory is surpassed, it is a theory that is equally successful.

   5%