The Story
Although parapsychology is often considered a pseudoscience, – The sentence starts with the contrast word ‘although’. So, next I expect to learn something which contrasts with the idea that parapsychology is often considered a pseudoscience. The phrase “often considered” indicates that the author does not subscribe to this idea.
it is in fact a genuine scientific enterprise, – Yup. The author does believe that parapsychology is actually a genuine scientific enterprise. (So, the author doesn’t believe that parapsychology is a pseudoscience).
for it uses scientific methods such as controlled experiments and statistical tests of clearly stated hypotheses to examine the questions it raises.Why is parapsychology a genuine scientific enterprise?
Because it uses scientific methods to examine the questions it raises. (The word ‘for’ is used to mean ‘because’ here.)
(We’re also given a couple of examples of scientific methods in the statement.)
Gist:
Parapsychology is a genuine scientific enterprise (main point), because it uses scientific methods to examine the questions it raises (basis).
Gap(s) in logic
Is examining the questions raised by a field using scientific methods enough to decide that the field is science? Are all fields that use scientific methods to examine the questions they raise genuine scientific enterprises? Can’t there be other things needed also for a field to be deemed genuine science?
There could be other gaps too. This is the one that jumps out at me from the argument.
Question Stem
The conclusion above is properly drawn if which of the following is assumed? A quite unique question stem.
Be careful! It is very easy to interpret the question as a regular assumption question.
It actually is not.The conclusion above is properly drawn
if which of the following is assumed?I.e. If the correct answer choice is assumed, the conclusion will be properly drawn
(will follow for sure). For each answer choice, we need to check whether the argument becomes completely valid upon adding the answer choice as a part of the argument.
We are looking for something that is
sufficient to make the argument completely logical.
We are not looking for something that is
necessary for the argument.
Negation technique will not work here since we’re not looking for an assumption on which the argument depends.
Framework: Based on the correct answer choice + the information given in the argument, we should be able to infer that parapsychology is a genuine scientific enterprise.
Answer Choice Analysis
(A) If a field of study can conclusively answer the questions it raises, then it is a genuine science.Incorrect. For this answer choice to be sufficient (i.e. correct), we would need a direct relation between:
X: ‘using scientific methods to examine the raised questions’ – what we’re told about parapsychology in the passage
and
Y: ‘conclusively answering the raised questions’ – what this answer choice introduces
i.e., if every field that does X also does Y, then parapsychology would be genuine science.
Basically,
1. Parapsychology does X. (passage)
2. If a field does X, then it does Y. (missing link – not actually given)
3. If a field does Y, then it is genuine science. (Option A)
4. Parapsychology is a genuine science (what we need to infer).
If we had all this information, including the second point, then we could say with certainty that parapsychology is a genuine science. However, we actually don’t have that link from the second point.
It is entirely possible that:
1. a field does X but doesn’t do Y (i.e. a field uses scientific methods to examine the questions it raises but doesn’t conclusively answer the questions)
2. a field does Y without doing X (i.e. a field conclusively answers the questions it raises without using scientific methods to examine them)
So, we don’t have a link between “using scientific methods to examine the raised questions” (which is our concern) and “conclusively answering the raised questions” (which is what the option talks about). So, the option has no impact on the argument, and is irrelevant.
(B) Since parapsychology uses scientific methods, it will produce credible results. Incorrect. Let’s add this statement to the argument.
1. Parapsychology uses scientific methods to examine the questions it raises (basis).
2. Since parapsychology uses scientific methods, it will produce credible results (Option B).
3. Therefore parapsychology is a genuine science (main point).
Based on statements 1 and 2, can we infer statement 3?
This answer choice tells us about a result of parapsychology using scientific methods – credible results. We’re not concerned with whether parapsychology produces credible results. We can’t say that anything that produces credible results is a genuine scientific enterprise.
Irrelevant.
(C) Any enterprise that does not use controlled experiments and statistical tests is not genuine science. Incorrect. Let me first take an example to try to explain why this answer choice is incorrect.
Argument: John is taller than 6’. Therefore, John plays basketball.
Statement: Anyone who is shorter than 6’ does not play basketball.
Question: Can the conclusion above be properly drawn if this statement is assumed?
It can’t.
People shorter than 6’ not playing basketball does not
prove for sure that those who are taller than 6’ play basketball.
So, no, even if this statement is assumed, the conclusion that John plays basketball still can’t be properly drawn.
Similarly, even in the given context, if we add answer choice C to the argument:
1. Parapsychology uses scientific methods to examine the questions it raises (basis).
2. Any enterprise that does not use controlled experiments and statistical tests is not genuine science. (Option C).
3. Therefore parapsychology is a genuine science (main point).
The conclusion still does not follow with certainty. Even if all the enterprises that don’t use controlled experiments and statistical tests are not genuine science, I can’t be certain that those that do use these methods are genuine science.
(Say, people who don’t study don’t get good marks.
Does that mean that everyone who studies gets good marks?
Not necessarily, right?)
Moreover, the two methods: controlled experiments and statistical tests are merely examples of scientific methods. Fields could use scientific methods other than these two as well.
(D) Any field of study that employs scientific methods is a genuine scientific enterprise.Correct. Let’s add this statement to the argument:
1. Parapsychology uses scientific methods to examine the questions it raises (basis).
2. Any field of study that employs scientific methods is a genuine scientific enterprise (Option D).
3. Therefore parapsychology is a genuine science (main point).
Based on statements 1 and 2, can we infer statement 3?
Once we add this answer choice to the argument, the conclusion follows for sure.
Given that (1a) parapsychology uses scientific methods, and (2) that any study that uses scientific methods is genuine science, parapsychology would certainly be genuine science.
(E) Since parapsychology raises clearly statable questions, they can be tested in controlled experiments.Incorrect. Even if we add this statement to the argument, the conclusion can still not be properly drawn.
Remember, our objective is to be able to properly conclude that parapsychology is a genuine science. Whether the questions raised by parapsychology can be tested in controlled experiments does not get me any closer to making that conclusion.
Irrelevant.
Additional Notes
1. Is option D an assumption required for the argument?
It is not.
[
Caution: I hope my explanation below is clear, but it is possible that you find this point confusing. You may choose to skip this point. Or, if you have any follow-up questions, feel free to ask 🙂 ]
A necessary assumption would have been:
Any field of study that employs scientific methods
to examine the questions it raises is a genuine scientific enterprise.
That is an assumption the argument is based on.
Answer choice D supports the argument. However, it is not necessary for the argument.
Let us understand this by negating the answer choice.
Negation of option D: Some fields of study that employ scientific methods are not genuine scientific enterprises.
First, I’ll divide fields of study that employ scientific methods into two categories. There could be fields of study that employ scientific methods to
a. examine the questions they raise
b. do something else
So, even if some fields of the superset (fields that employ scientific methods) are not genuine science, the fields in the specific subset (fields that employ scientific methods to
examine the questions they raise) could all still be genuine science. The argument doesn’t break down on negating answer choice D. So, that answer choice is not an assumption on which the argument depends.
2. Many students read the word “assumed” in the question stem and assume that it is a typical assumption question. Remember, precise reading is required at every step, including while understanding the question stem.
3. If the question stem fits into a category/ concept you have learned, fine. But if it doesn’t, that’s fine too. End of the day, our objective with every CR question is to answer the question that’s been asked. To force-fit a question into a category is a mistake.
4.
a. If there is an answer choice in such a question that is an assumption that the argument depends on, but it is not sufficient to lead to the conclusion, the answer choice would be incorrect.
b. If there is an answer choice that is not an assumption required in the argument, but it is sufficient to lead to the conclusion, the answer choice would be correct. That’s the case with the correct answer in this question.
5. Another official question that asks us to choose a ‘sufficient statement’:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/biologist-sp ... 06112.htmlThanks for this wonderful explanation.
Just have one doubt, please help.
I was treating "for" as conjunction i.e. showing the start of an Independent clause hence was not able to find the premise on which the author has concluded that "parapsychology is actually a genuine scientific enterprise."
Updated on: 02 Nov 2018, 01:01
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