Scientists typically advocate the analytic method of studying complex

Question

Scientists typically advocate the analytic method of studying complex systems: systems are divided into component parts that are investigated separately. But nineteenth-century critics of this method claimed that when a system’s parts are isolated its complexity tends to be lost. To address the perceived weakness of the analytic method these critics put forward a concept called organicism, which posited that the whole determines the nature of its parts and that the parts of a whole are interdependent.

Organicism depended upon the theory of internal relations, which states that relations between entities are possible only within some whole that embraces them, and that entities are altered by the relationships into which they enter. If an entity stands in a relationship with another entity, it has some property as a consequence. Without this relationship, and hence without the property, the entity would be different—and so would be another entity. Thus, the property is one of the entity’s defining characteristics. Each of an entity’s relationships likewise determines a defining characteristic of the entity.

One problem with the theory of internal relations is that not all properties of an entity are defining characteristics: numerous properties are accompanying characteristics—even if they are always present, their presence does not influence the entity’s identity. Thus, even if it is admitted that every relationship into which an entity enters determines some characteristic of the entity, it is not necessarily true that such characteristics will define the entity; it is possible for the entity to enter into a relationship yet remain essentially unchanged.

The ultimate difficulty with the theory of internal relations is that it renders the acquisition of knowledge impossible. To truly know an entity, we must know all of its relationships; but because the entity is related to everything in each whole of which it is a part, these wholes must be known completely before the entity can be known. This seems to be a prerequisite impossible to satisfy.

Organicists’ criticism of the analytic method arose from their failure to fully comprehend the method. In rejecting the analytic method, organicists overlooked the fact that before the proponents of the method analyzed the component parts of a system, they first determined both the laws applicable to the whole system and the initial conditions of the system; proponents of the method thus did not study parts of a system in full isolation from the system as a whole. Since organicists failed to recognize this, they never advanced any argument to show that laws and initial conditions of complex systems cannot be discovered. Hence, organicists offered no valid reason for rejecting the analytic method or for adopting organicism as a replacement for it.   1 
 D 
 Q1 . Which one of the following most completely and accurately summarizes the argument of the passage?

(A) By calling into question the possibility that complex systems can be studied in their entirety, organicists offered an alternative to the analytic method favored by nineteenth-century scientists.
(B) Organicists did not offer a useful method of studying complex systems because they did not acknowledge that there are relationship into which an entity may enter that do not alter the entity’s identity.
(C) Organicism is flawed because it relies on a theory that both ignores the fact that not all characteristics of entities are defining and ultimately makes the acquisition of knowledge impossible.
(D) Organicism does not offer a valid challenge to the analytic method both because it relies on faulty theory and because it is based on a misrepresentation of the analytic method.
(E) In criticizing the analytic method, organicists neglected to disprove that scientists who employ the method are able to discover the laws and initial conditions of the systems they study.

2 
 A 
 Q2. According to the passage, organicists’ chief objection to the analytic method was that the method

(A) oversimplified systems by isolating their components
(B) assumed that a system can be divided into component parts
(C) ignored the laws applicable to the system as a whole
(D) claimed that the parts of a system are more important than the system as a whole
(E) denied the claim that entities enter into relationships

3 
 E 
 Q3. The passage offers information to help answer each of the following questions EXCEPT:

(A) Why does the theory of internal relations appear to make the acquisition of knowledge impossible?
(B) Why did the organicists propose replacing the analytic method?
(C) What is the difference between a defining characteristic and an accompanying characteristic?
(D) What did organicists claim are the effects of an entity entering into a relationship with another entity?
(E) What are some of the advantages of separating out the parts of a system for study?

4 
 B 
 Q4. The passage most strongly supports the ascription of which one of the following views to scientists who use the analytic method?

(A) A complex system is best understood by studying its component parts in full isolation from the system as a whole.
(B) The parts of a system should be studied with an awareness of the laws and initial conditions that govern the system.
(C) It is not possible to determine the laws governing a system until the system’s parts are separated from one another.
(D) Because the parts of a system are interdependent, they cannot be studied separately without destroying the system’s complexity.
(E) Studying the parts of a system individually eliminate the need to determine which characteristics of the parts are defining characteristics.

5 
 B 
 Q5. Which one of the following is a principle upon which the author bases an argument against the theory of the internal relations?

(A) An adequate theory of complex systems must define the entities of which the system is composed.
(B) An acceptable theory cannot have consequences that contradict its basic purpose.
(C) An adequate method of study of complex systems should reveal the actual complexity of the system it studies.
(D) An acceptable theory must describe the laws and initial conditions of a complex system.
(E) An acceptable method of studying complex systems should not study parts of the system in isolation from the system as a whole.

Source:   LSAT Official PrepTest 25   
 Difficulty Level:   700

Sajjad1994 · Accepted Answer

Explanation

Q5. Which one of the following is a principle upon which the author bases an argument against the theory of the internal relations?

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

Finally, we’re asked to find a principle on which the author’s critique of the theory of internal relations is based, which immediately tells us that  paragraphs 3  and  4  are the ones in play here. In those Paragraphs, we find two complaints against the theory:  “one problem”  with the theory in  Paragraph 3 , and the  “ultimate difficulty”  with the theory in  Paragraph 4 . Not surprisingly, it is this major difficulty on which the correct principle is based. Internal relations entails a way to understand an entity by means of analyzing its relations to other entities. But the author thinks this is impossible—one cannot fully know the whole, so applying the theory  “renders the acquisition of knowledge impossible.”  Therein lies the contradiction referred to in correct  choice (B) : The application of the theory leads to a violation of the theory’s purpose. The purpose is to know the system, yet the application of the theory itself makes it impossible to know. According to  (B) , a theory based on such a contradiction cannot be acceptable, and that jibes perfectly with the author’s second and “ultimate” criticism of the internal relations theory.

(A)  The argument to divide and conquer is consistent with the analytic method, but isn’t part of the author’s attack on internal relations as that attack appears in  Paragraphs 3  and  4 . If anything, the theory of internal relations is also consistent with the principle in (A)—in seeking to understand an entity’s relationships, the theory attempts to provide a way for such a definition to occur.

(C)  The issue of  “complexity”  is out of place here; it is the organicists who invoke a  “loss of complexity”  in their critique of the analytic method.

(D)  is tricky in that it uses, but distorts, the ideas in the  final Paragraph . The author raises the issue of describing the laws and initial conditions of a system to point to a flaw in the organicists’ overall approach—they didn’t recognize that this was part of the analytic method. This is not, however, related specifically to the author’s criticism of the theory of internal relations, which again, is located in  Paragraphs 3  and  4 .

(E) , like many previous wrong choices in this question set, mistakes the players in the passage. We’re looking for support for the author’s argument against the organicists’ theory of internal relations, but instead this principle supports the organicists’ critique of the analytic method as described in  Paragraph 1 .

Answer: B

This is not Official explanation rather belongs to Kaplan LSAT

EP2620 · Answer

Notes: 
1. A theory (analytic method) has been described. However, there is a  group of thinkers that doesn't agree  with the theory; the group has  come up with its own theory  called 'Org'
2. Org has been  explained  -- (mental note, not something I wrote: essentially it says body parts cannot be studied individually because they are defined by their relationships with other body parts) 
3. Potential  problem-1 with Org 
4. Potential  problem-2 with Org 
5. Author's stance is revealed -  author thinks this group is uninformed , and has not done its homework

The overall purpose can be derived by following the parts highlighted in bold

Q1: Argument of the entire passage: 
A is incorrect because the main point is not to tell that organicists offered an alternative, main point is to tell that the alternative was based on poor homework
B is summary of paragraph 3 
C is a summary of paragraph 3-4
D is the correct answer
E is incorrect because the author didn't just want to tell how the criticism was misplaced, s/he also wanted to tell that organicists' own theory was flawed

Q2: A 
Passage 1 line 3 onward: But nineteenth-century critics of this method claimed that when a system’s parts are isolated its  complexity tends to be lost  = oversimplification

Q3: 
A: Paragraph 4 (because it is self contradictory) 
B: Paragraph 1 (because it oversimplifies)
C: Paragraph 3-4
D: Paragraph 2 (If an entity stands in a relationship with another entity, it has some property as a consequence)
E: Not explained

Q4: B (last paragraph)
Q5: B (last but one paragraph)

Saasingh · Answer

I don't understand OA for 5th question.

I chose D.

Passage suggests that author rejects the theory because it presumes the prerequisites. Also, it is wrong because it takes a condition which may/may not necessarily be true (possible for the entity to enter into a relationship yet remain essentially unchanged).

I rejected B as I don't see how the theory's consequences contradict is purpose? What basic purpose ? In my opinion basic purpose is to study complex system. But is wrong assumption a "contradiction" ?

Appreciate help.

Thanks in advance.

Regards

Arielltl · Answer

Sajjad1994  Can you help post OE for Q1? Thanks.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

Q1 . Which one of the following most completely and accurately summarizes the argument of the passage?

Difficulty Level:   650

Explanation

As suggested above, we must consider the passage as a whole before settling on the main point, for the author’s disapproval of organicism doesn’t surface until the  second paragraph  ends. But disapprove he does, as evidenced by the topic sentences listed in the second bullet point above. Still, the choices require careful consideration—they all in some way question the efficacy of organicism, so we need to scrutinize each to find the one that matches up with the author’s particular complaint. Let’s consider them one by one.

(A)  goes against the grain: Organicists are the ones who seem to call for the study of systems in their entirety. After all, they were the ones who felt that the analytic method of studying a system by isolating its components was flawed. Organicists believe that the whole determines the nature of the parts, and advocate a  “holistic”  approach, so  (A)  has it wrong when it says that they call into question the possibility of studying complex systems in their entirety.

(B)  and  (C)  point to the author’s criticism of organicism in the  third and fourth Paragraphs , but neither is inclusive enough to  “completely and accurately summarize the argument.”  The weaknesses of organicism are mentioned to support a larger point; namely, that this method failed as a substitute for the analytic method. These choices ignore the analytic method entirely, and thus ignore the major issue of the confrontation between the two methodologies.

(D) , however, hits on the issue missing from  (B)  and  (C) —it addresses the debate between the analytic method and organicism, set out in  Paragraph 1  and definitively settled in the last line of  Paragraph 5 . Organicism fails as a substitute for the analytic method—no description of the argument in this passage would be complete without this.  (D)  also includes the reasons for the failure of organicism, a nice touch that adequately covers the material in the  final three Paragraphs . While many of the wrong choices cover one part of the passage or another, only  (D)  is inclusive enough to describe the author’s entire argument.

(E) , like the other wrong choices, is too narrow to be the main point here. It refers exclusively to a criticism of organicism levied in  Paragraph 5  and so, like the others, fails to address the main issue of organicism’s failure to supplant the analytic method.

Answer: D

This is not Official explanation rather belongs to Kaplan LSAT

ricardorr04 · Answer

10 mins, 5/5. was a bit challenging but the strategy here is understanding the passage well enough to be able to eliminate choices that are out of scope. for example, the right answer choice on question 5 is pretty much too vague to pinpoint without eliminating the other choices. that's how i was able to get that one right.

ricardorr04 · Answer

can someone please provide difficulty levels for the questions? thank u very much

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Here is my rough idea about the difficulty levels of each question.

Question #1: 700
Question #1: 650
Question #1: 650
Question #1: 600
Question #1: 700

Good Luck

shuklaji · Answer

Sajjad1994  Can you help post OE for Q2? Thanks.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

Q2. According to the passage, organicists’ chief objection to the analytic method was that the method

Difficulty Level:   650

Explanation

This one’s a bit shorter, and thankfully, simpler. Your mental roadmap of the passage should lead you right to  paragraph 1 , the place where the debate between methods is introduced. What is the organicists’ beef with the analytic method? It’s right there in lines:  “critics of this method (organicists) claimed that when a system’s parts are isolated its complexity tends to be lost.”   (A)  is a pretty close paraphrase of this, substituting  “oversimplified”  for loss of complexity, and  “components”  for  “parts.”

(B)  Organicists don’t question the general notion that a system can be broken down into parts—they question whether a complex system can be understood by studying those parts in isolation.

(C)  distorts a detail from  paragraph 5 : The author criticizes the organicists for not recognizing that the analytic method folks determine the laws applicable to the system as a whole before analyzing its component parts.

(D)  The analytic method makes no such claim, nor do the organicists accuse it of doing so. This choice distorts the issue of isolating parts. Sure, the analytic method is about studying parts in isolation, but there’s no indication of any comparison of the importance of the parts relative to the whole.

(E) “Relationships”  is an organicist conception. Nowhere are we told that the analytic method denies that entities enter into relationships (even though the method itself may suggest that such relationships, if they exist, are unimportant)—and the organicists never accuse the method of making this denial.

Answer: A

Source: Kaplan LSAT

TomKSH · Answer

took me 18 mins but got 5/5

Poojita · Answer

Isn't not recognizing = Ignore? I am refering to option C here

tinbq · Answer

Hi  Sajjad1994 ,

Would you please add the explanation for questions no. 3 & 4? Thank you.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

Q3. The passage offers information to help answer each of the following questions EXCEPT:

Difficulty Level:   650-700

Explanation

This question stem may have seemed a little odd, but a slight translation should make the task appear easier. In order to be able to answer a question contained in a choice, that question must relate to a definite issue or detail in the passage. So we’re essentially asked here to find the choice that does not address some relevant issue in the passage, and you have enough practice with recognizing things that aren’t relevant—simply look for something that’s outside the scope, or that distorts the information in the passage. There’s no way to pre-phrase here, so we’ll simply have to test the choices:

(A) Paragraph 4  is nothing more than the answer to this question.

(B) Paragraph 1  gets the ball rolling with the organicists’ reason for attempting to replace the analytic method.

(C)  These terms should sound familiar, and in fact, this distinction is explicated precisely in  Paragraph 3.

(D) Paragraph 2  provides all the information you need to answer the question posed in this choice (and more information than most would ever want on the effects of relationships on entities).

(E)  The terms may sound familiar, but the word  “advantages”  throws this one off: Sure, the analytic method involves separating out the parts of a system for study, but nowhere are we told the specific advantages of this approach. All we know about are the supposed disadvantages of this approach, put forth by the organicists. And although the author criticizes the organicists’ critique of the analytic method, he doesn’t do so by citing the advantages of isolating components, but rather by focusing on the deficiencies of organicism.  (E)  contains the question the passage cannot answer.

Answer: E

Q4. The passage most strongly supports the ascription of which one of the following views to scientists who use the analytic method?

Difficulty Level:   600-650

Explanation

We’re asked to find a view that accords with the thinking of the analytic method scientists. Paragraph1 contains the main thing we know about them—they believe in dividing systems into component parts for study. This is what has prompted the whole organicist reaction, so this would make a fine pre-phrase. However, no choice simply states this notion—in fact, most of the wrong choices distort this notion of isolation, as we’ll see below. The answer comes from  Paragraph 5 , where we find out that before the proponents of the analytic method isolated components for study, they first determined the initial conditions and the laws applicable to the whole. So  (B) , which essentially restates the information in the lines  (the fact that before the proponents of the method analyzed the component parts of a system, they first determined both the laws applicable to the whole system and the initial conditions of the system)  is right on the money.

(A)  takes the isolation notion to an extreme, and in fact even contradicts lines  (the fact that before the proponents of the method analyzed the component parts of a system, they first determined both the laws applicable to the whole system and the initial conditions of the system) : Because the analytic method folks make an attempt to understand the system as a whole, it certainly cannot be said that the method involves studying the parts  “in full isolation.”

(C)  uses the terminology of the passage but distorts the ideas. Determining the laws applicable to the system happens before the components can be studied. It, therefore, makes no sense to say that the proponents of the analytic method would believe that it is impossible to determine the system’s governing laws until the parts are isolated.

(D) Opposite  (D)  is a view that can be ascribed to the organicists, not the supporters of the analytic method.

(E)  The notion of  “defining characteristics”  is brought up by the author in  Paragraph 3  as a defense against the organicists’ critique of the analytic method.

Answer: B

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Scientists typically advocate the analytic method of studying complex

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