The social sciences are less likely than other intellectual enterprise

Indeed a difficult one, not sure if it is 600-700 level. Anyway, will try my hands on this:

Meaning of the passage:

Para 1 - Social Sciences aren't given due credit for the accomplishments/advancements, because the results are absorbed into human wisdom and are easily accessible.

Para 2 - In contrast, many see Social Science as over-utilized (few examples game theory, evaluation research, economic models).


1. The author is primarily concerned with

(A) advocating a more modest view, and less widespread utilization, of the social sciences - just talk about the first para
(B) analyzing the mechanisms for translating discoveries into applications in the social sciences - not discussed in the para
(C) dissolving the air of paradox inherent in human beings studying themselves - irrelevant
(D) explaining a peculiar dilemma that the social sciences are in - Correct, POE
(E) maintaining a strict separation between pure and applied social science - out of scope


2. Which of the following is a social science discipline that the author mentions as being possibly overutilized?

(A) Conventional theories of social change
(B) Game theory - directly from the para (easy one, though!)
(C) Decision-making theory
(D) Economic theories of international alliances
(E) Systems analysis

3. It can be inferred from the passage that, when speaking of the "overutilization" of the social sciences, the author is referring to the .

(A) premature practical application of social science advances - quoting the extract from para " Yet this rush into practical applications is itself quite understandable: public policy must continually be made, and policymakers rightly feel that even tentative findings and untested theories are better guides to decision-making than no findings and no theories at all." . Correct
(B) habitual reliance on the social sciences even where common sense would serve equally well
(C) practice of bringing a greater variety of social science disciplines to bear on a problem than the nature of the problem warrants
(D) use of social science constructs by people who do not fully understand them
(E) tendency on the part of social scientists to recast everyday truths in social science jargon

4. The author confronts the claim that the social sciences are being overutilized with

(A) proof that overextensions of social science results are self-correcting - not mentioned in the para
(B) evidence that some public policy is made without any recourse to social science findings or theories - partly correct, they in fact use social findings and apply them prematurely.
(C) a long Jist of social science applications that are perfectly appropriate and extremely fruitful - too extreme
(D) the argument that overutilization is by and large the exception rather than the rule - out of scope
(E) the observation that this practice represents the lesser of two evils under existing circumstances - two evils i.e. underappreciation and over-utilization, Correct