Reading Comprehension

PT18 · S3 · P2 · Q15 Is Science Objective

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A recent generation of historians of science, far from portraying accepted scientific views as objectively accurate reflections of a natural world, explain the acceptance of such views in terms of the ideological biases of certain influential scientists or the institutional and rhetorical power such scientists wield.

Topic

Scientific truth's relationship to objective reality

Framework

Present Debate / Challenge a Position

Main Point

C'mon, fools. Y'all know that some scientific truths are objective facts of the world (like H20 or genetics). Sure, it's complicated and roundabout how we discover these truths (lots of mistakes along the way) and it's influenced in interesting ways by power structures and ideologies, but stop playin' like scientific truths are just subjective opinions.

Summary

P1 - Describes 2 points of view (pushes back against one)

We learn what "historians of science" mindset is -- the accepted scientific views we have aren't because they accurately describe objective reality, they're because certain scientists and organizations are influential enough to get other scientists to accept these views.

"Philosophers of science" have a related mindset -- scientific views aren't what they are because they align with objective reality, they're the result of creative scientists inventing things in their minds, with other scientists trying to falsify them.

In the final sentence, the author uses the negative attitude word "extremism", telling us that the author is against historians of science (and probably not a fan of philosophers of science).

P2 - Author sternly rebukes this crap

The author ain't having it. H20 is not the creative invention of a scientist. It's objective reality.

P3 - Author makes some friendly concessions to the historians / philosophers

Hey, philosophers, I feel you --- science takes such a circuitous path to get to the truth (with lots of mistakes and inaccuracies) that it probably feels like a bunch of random conjectures.

Hey, historians, cool stuff --- you've uncovered some interesting insights about how influence / power structures affect which truths become accepted when.

P4 - But, again, don't go runnin' 'round town speakin' that nonsense again

The author reminds these two groups of how cockamamie it is to suggest that scientific truth isn't tethered to objective reality in some crucial way, and she suggests how historians could continue doing their good stuff without venturing into this dumb stuff.

15.

The author’s attitude toward the “thesis” mentioned in the highlighted passage is revealed in which one of the following pairs of words?

  1. “biases” (Highlighted in the First

    Wrong Point of View / Not Negative

    These are words from the historians' point of view, so they are just quoting what the historians say, not revealing anything about the author's attitude.

    12% picked this

  2. “wield” (Highlighted in the First

    Wrong Point of View

    "wield" comes from a quote attributed to the historians of science. "falsification" comes from a quote attributed to the philosophers of science. Since both of these are just quoting other points of view, neither is revealing the author's attitude.

    3% picked this

  3. “conjectures” (Highlighted in the First

    Wrong Point of View

    This first term is quoting the philosophers of science, so it's not going to reveal any attitude from our author.

    4% picked this

  4. Correct

    “extremism” (Highlighted in the First

    Why this is right

    The thesis we're being asked about belongs to the historians of science. In the final sentence of the first paragraph, the author is referring to the views of the historians with the attitude-laced term of "extremism". And in the beginning of the second paragraph, the author is saying that the historians' provocative thesis (which rejects the traditional belief) is fashionable, but deeply implausible. (D) and (E) are the only answers that serve up two words that were both delivered in the author's voice, but whereas (D)'s are appropriately negative, the ones in (E) reflect areas where the author will concede partial agreement.

    Skill tested: Author's Attitude · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.

    68% picked this

  5. “naive” (Highlighted in the Third

    Wrong Point of View

    The thesis we're being asked about belongs to the historians of science. The author concedes that there are interesting observations to be made about what these historians talk about --- the sociological factors that influence how and when scientific truths come to be accepted. "Naive" comes from a part of the passage where the author is conceding a point to the historians, and "errors" comes from a part where the author is conceding a point to the philosophers. But the author overall vehemently rejects the suggestion that scientific truths are never accurate reflections of the natural world. In the 3rd paragraph, where this answer's two words come from, the author is not critiquing the thesis. She is acknowledging the merits of the historians' and philosophers' ideas.

    13% picked this

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