Much of the best scientific research of today

Answer choices

1. A

   No Impact2% picked this

   Many firsthand accounts of earlier, flawed scientific work are not generally known

   The first sentence already allows for the space that many earlier work is not mistaken, so this doesn't really feel like new information, so it would be hard for it to have any impact. Much earlier work is later shown to be mistaken. Much of it is not yet generally thought of as mistaken. This answer doesn't show us anything modern scientists would get out of studying firsthand account of earlier work that helps them with their pursuit of truth.

   2%
2. B

   Correct85% picked this

   Lessons in scientific methodology can be learned by seeing how earlier scientific work was carried out, sometimes especially when the results of that

   Why this is right

   This answer shows us what modern scientists would get out of studying firsthand account of earlier work: they can learn lessons. This balances with the background fact that this earlier work is often later shown to be mistaken, because it says, "they can sometimes especially learn lessons if they're looking at work that is now known to be incorrect". The modern scientist can be like, "Given that we now know that cholesterol is bad for heart disease, how did these earlier scientists convince themselves that it was good for heart disease?"

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

   85%
3. C

   No Impact12% picked this

   Scientists can make valuable contributions to the scientific work of their time even if the results of their work will later

   This answer would address the earlier scientists, who had mistaken work. We need an answer that tells about today's scientists, and tells us why they bother to study earlier work (that many times is mistaken work).

   12%
4. D

   Unrelated to Goal1% picked this

   There are many scientists today who are not thoroughly familiar with

   The scientists today who aren't familiar with earlier research have nothing to do with our job. We're trying to explain the motive behind the scientists today who are looking at earlier research.

   1%
5. E

   Unrelated to Goal1% picked this

   Some of the better scientific research of today does not directly address

   Like (D), this is talking about science research that doesn't directly address earlier research. We're trying to explain the motive behind the scientists today who are looking at earlier research.

   1%