Logical Reasoning

PT18 · S2 · Q22 Much of the best scientific research of today

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Much of the best scientific research of today shows that many of the results of earlier scientific work that was regarded in its time as good are in fact mistaken.

Given that ....

Much of today's best scientific research shows that results of earlier scientific work was mistaken.

And that ....

Scientists above all are concerned about discovering the truth.

How can it also be that ....

It's valuable for scientists to study firsthand accounts of earlier scientific work.

Evaluate / Goal

If scientists are primarily trying to discover truth, then why is it valuable for them to study earlier scientific work, which we often find out is mistaken?

Let's look for something scientists would get out of studying firsthand accounts of potentially-mistaken work that would help them in their pursuit of truth (maybe they learn what not to do?)

22.

Which one of the following, if true, would best reconcile the two statements above?

  1. Many firsthand accounts of earlier,

    No Impact

    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% picked this

  2. Correct

    Lessons in scientific methodology can

    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% picked this

  3. Scientists can make valuable contributions

    No Impact

    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% picked this

  4. There are many scientists today

    Unrelated to Goal

    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% picked this

  5. Some of the better scientific

    Unrelated to Goal

    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% picked this

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