The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's inte

Question

The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's interests and principles of classification. The classifications (also known as taxonomies) in turn determine which comparisons seem natural or unnatural, which literal or analogical. For example, it has been common to classify living creatures into three distinct groups—plants, animals, and humans. According to this classification, human beings are not a special kind of animal, nor animals a special kind of plant. Thus any comparisons between the three groups are strictly analogical. Reasoning from inheritance in garden peas to inheritance in fruit flies, and from these two species to inheritance in human beings, is sheer poetic metaphor.

Another mode of classifying living creatures is commonly attributed to Aristotle. Instead of treating plants, animals, and humans as distinct groups, they are nested. All living creatures possess a vegetative soul that enables them to grow and metabolize. Of these, some also have a sensory soul that enables them to sense their environments and move. One species also has a rational soul that is capable of true understanding. Thus, human beings are a special sort of animal, and animals are a special sort of plant. Given this classification, reasoning from human beings to all other species with respect to the attributes of the vegetative soul is legitimate, reasoning from human beings to other animals with respect to the attributes of the sensory soul is also legitimate, but reasoning from the rational characteristics of the human species to any other species is merely analogical. According to both classifications, the human species is unique. In the first, it has a kingdom all to itself; in the second, it stands at the pinnacle of the taxonomic hierarchy.

Homo sapiens is unique. All species are. But this sort of uniqueness is not enough for many (probably  most ) people, philosophers included.  For some reason , it is very important that the species to which we belong be  uniquely unique . It is of utmost importance that the human species be insulated from all other species with respect to how we explain certain qualities. Human beings clearly are capable of developing and learning languages. For some reason, it is very important that the waggle dance performed by bees * not count as a genuine language. I have never been able to understand why. I happen to think that the waggle dance differs from human languages to such a degree that little is gained by terming them both "languages," but even if "language" is so defined that the waggle dance slips in, bees still remain bees. It is equally important to some that no other species use tools. No matter how ingenious other species get in the manipulation of objects in their environment, it is absolutely essential that nothing they do count as "tool use." I, however, fail to see what difference it makes whether any of these devices such as probes and anvils, etc. are really tools. All the species involved remain distinct biological species no matter what decisions are made. Similar observations hold for rationality and anything a computer might do.    1 
 1. According to the author, what is most responsible for influencing our perception of a comparison between species?

A. The behavior of the organisms in their natural environment
B. The organizational scheme imposed on the living world by researchers and philosophers
C. The style of language used by scientists in presenting their research
D. The sophistication of the communication between organisms
E. The magnitude of hierarchical distance between a species and Homo sapiens

2 
 2. Which of the following is NOT possible within an Aristotelian classification scheme?

A. Two species that are alike in having sensory souls but differ in that one lacks a rational soul
B. Two species that are alike in having vegetative souls but differ in that only one has a sensory soul
C. A species having a vegetative soul while lacking sensory and rational souls
D. A species having vegetative and rational souls while lacking a sensory soul
E. A species having vegetative and sensory souls while lacking a rational soul

3 
 3. Which of the following comparisons would be "legitimate" for all living organisms according to the Aristotelian scheme described in paragraph two?

I. Comparisons based on the vegetative soul
II. Comparisons based on the sensory soul
III. Comparisons based on the rational soul

A. I only
B. II only
C. III only
D. II and III only
E. I, II, and III

4 
 4. If the author had wished to explain why "most" people ( Highlighted ) feel the way they do, the explanation would have probably focused on the

A. reality of distinct biological species
B. most recent advances in biological research
C. behavioral similarities between Homo sapiens and other species
D. role of language in the development of technology
E. lack of objectivity in the classification of Homo sapiens

5 
 5. The author uses the words "For some reason" ( Highlighted ) to express

A. rage
B. disapproval
C. despair
D. sympathy
E. uncertainty

6 
 6. Which best summarizes the idea of "uniquely unique" ( Highlighted )?

A. We are unique in the same way that all other species are unique.
B. We are defined by attributes that we alone possess and that are qualitatively different from those of other species.
C. We are, by virtue of our elevated rank, insulated from many of the problems of survival faced by less sophisticated species.
D. Our awareness of our uniqueness defines us as a rational species.
E. Our apparently unique status is an unintended by-product of classification systems.

7 
 7. In the third paragraph, the author criticizes those who believe that

A. the similarities between Homo sapiens and other species are more significant than their differences
B. the differences between Homo sapiens and other animals are those of degree, not kind
C. Homo sapiens and animals belong to separate and distinct divisions of the living world
D. Homo sapiens and animals have the ability to control their environment
E. Homo sapiens and other organisms can be arranged in Aristotelian nested groups

RC Butler 2022  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 44 Date: 28-Jan-2022
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2022 .  Click here for Details

Source: Test-Guide

100mitra · Answer

Passage Structure  
1. Describing classification of different things
2. How humans are classified from other species 
3. What makes humans uniquely unique

Paraphrasing:   
  Para 1:   Different ways, interest, view, principles and analogical in which word classification can be determined for human being, animals and plants.
  Para 2:   Classification can be nested into vegetative soul, in which some may be sensory soul, and rational soul. Based on this, makes "human species" more unique to be first have kingdom and second to have pinnacle of the taxonomic hierarchy. 
  Para 3:   Human species are uniquely unique by certain qualities such as developing and learning language, and using it as a tool

1. According to the author, 
what is most responsible for influencing our perception of a comparison between species?  
“T he world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's interests and principles of classification. The classifications (also known as taxonomies) in turn determine which comparisons seem natural or unnatural, which literal or analogical ”
  Comparison between species:  Classification also known as taxonomies .

Correct option B: The organizational scheme imposed on the living world by researchers and philosophers

Eliminate, A, C, D and E  , as this are  the part of classification  can be done.
A.  The behavior  of the organisms in their natural environment
C.  The style of language  used by scientists in presenting their research
D. The sophistication of the  communication  between organisms
E. The magnitude of  hierarchical distance  between a species and Homo sapiens

2. Which of the following is NOT possible within an Aristotelian classification scheme?  
"  All living creatures possess a vegetative soul  that enables them to grow and metabolize. 
 Of these, vegetative soul some also have a sensory soul  
that enables them to sense their environments and move. 
 One species also has a rational soul  that is capable of true understanding "

Intended meaning:   a species can have both vegetative soul and rational souls, 
but vegetative soul some may have sensory soul

A. Two species that are alike in having sensory souls but differ in that one lacks a rational soul
  Wrong:   vegetative soul some have sensory soul, does not relate to rational soul
B. Two species that are alike in having vegetative souls but differ in that only one has a sensory soul
  Wrong:   Not compulsory
C. A species having a vegetative soul while lacking sensory and rational souls
  Wrong:   can lack sensory soul but rational soul is other category as per Aristotelian classification.
  D. A species having vegetative and rational souls while lacking a sensory soul
Correct: as per the intended meaning mentioned above.  
E. A species having vegetative and sensory souls while lacking a rational soul
  Wrong:   cannot infer this message from the passage.

3. Which of the following comparisons would be " legitimate " for all living organisms 
according to the Aristotelian scheme described in paragraph two?  
Given this classification, 
 - reasoning from human beings to all other species the vegetative soul is legitimate, 
- reasoning from human beings to other animals the sensory soul is also legitimate, but 
- reasoning from the rational characteristics of the human species to any other species is merely analogical .

I. Comparisons based on the vegetative soul – living organism – legitimate   
II. Comparisons based on the sensory soul –  human beings  and  animals  – legitimate 
III. Comparisons based on the rational soul – human organism and other species -  analogical 
  A. I only – Valid with all living organism

4. If the author had wished to explain why "most" people feel the way they do, 
the explanation would have probably focused on the  
" Homo sapiens is unique. All species are. 
But this sort of uniqueness is not enough for many (probably most) people, philosophers included ".
 Intended meaning :  Uniqueness qualities between Homo sapiens and all species is not enough, it is more facts or qualities needed according to most people .

A. reality of distinct biological species   Wrong:   not about reality 
B. most recent advances in biological research   Wrong:   not about advances researches 
C. behavioral similarities between Homo sapiens and other species –   Wrong:   not about similarity, but uniqueness differences
D. role of language in the development of technology   Wrong:   not about role of language in development of technology
  E. lack of objectivity in the classification of Homo sapiens – Correct: lack of objectivity

5. The author uses the words " For some reason " to express  
A. rage:  Anger    Wrong:  
  B. disapproval: expression of an unfavourable opinion – Correct   
C. despair:  Loss of hope    Wrong:  
D. sympathy:  feeling pity   Wrong:  
E. uncertainty:  state of uncertain    Wrong:

6. Which best summarizes the idea of " uniquely unique "?  
A. We are unique in the same way that all other species are unique.
  Wrong:   Unique = Unique, shows no difference between both of them

B. We are defined by attributes 
that we alone possess and 
that are qualitatively different from those of other species.
  Correct: as mentioned in the passage, we can infer from
“According to both classifications, 
the human species is unique. 
In the first, it has a kingdom all to itself; 
In the second, it stands at the pinnacle of the taxonomic hierarchy.”

C. We are, by virtue of our elevated rank, 
insulated from many of the problems of survival faced by less sophisticated species.
  Wrong:    Virtue of elevate rank , out of scope

D. Our awareness of our uniqueness defines us as a rational species.
  Wrong:   not about human being only as a rational species

E. Our apparently unique status is an unintended by-product of classification systems
  Wrong:   Unintended by product of classification system – out of scope

7. In the third paragraph, the author criticizes those who believe that  
A. the similarities between Homo sapiens and other species are more significant than their differences
  Wrong:   as mentioned in the passage, there is no similarities, 
“ Homo sapiens is unique. All species are. But this sort of uniqueness is not enough for many people, philosophers included ”

B. the differences between Homo sapiens and other animals are those of degree, not kind
  Wrong:   its not about kind, but about language, as mentioned in the passage, 
“ the waggle dance differs from human languages to such a degree that little is gained by terming them both "languages," but even if "language" is so defined that the waggle dance slips in, bees still remain bees.”

C. Homo sapiens and animals belong to separate and distinct divisions of the living world
Correct: as mentioned in the passage, 
 Sentence 1:  “ Homo sapiens is unique. All species are .”
 Sentence 2:  “ All the species involved remain distinct biological species no matter what decisions are made .”

D. Homo sapiens and animals have the ability to control their environment
  Wrong:   as mentioned in the passage, its not about control but about manipulation, 
 “No matter how ingenious other species get in the manipulation of objects in their environment, it is absolutely essential that nothing they do count as "tool use"

E. Homo sapiens and other organisms can be arranged in Aristotelian nested groups
  Wrong:   as mentioned in the passage, Para 2, 
 “Another mode of classifying living creatures is commonly attributed to Aristotle. Instead of treating plants, animals, and humans as distinct groups, they are nested”

hydr01 · Answer

What is the "Test-Guide" source? Is that OG material?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

No! It is a third party material having no connection with the OG.

Thank you!

RiyaJ0032 · Answer

For Q7)
(C) is something that the author supports
not what he criticizes

Given the question, (C) the author wouldn't criticize those who believe (C)

but yes (B) is something that the author would be against
because if people do not classify Homo sapiens and other animals as distinct species (or in other words, separate kind) , rather would classify them based on degree, author would not support this opinion

can someone please clarify this?

KarishmaB 
 Sajjad1994 
 Bunuel 
 IanStewart

mkeshri185 · Answer

In the last que (7) the question is asking about whom does the author criticize? Means author is disagreeing with them. But the author himself suggest that all species are unique then how can author criticize his own statement? he is in the support of uniqueness not against it

egmat · Answer

mkeshri185

Looking at your doubt, I can see why this seems contradictory at first! You've correctly identified that the author says "all species are unique," but you're missing a crucial distinction the author is making. The author is NOT criticizing the idea that humans are unique. Instead, he's criticizing people who insist humans must be  "uniquely unique"  - a special kind of unique that no other species can have.

What the Author Actually Believes: 
 
  Accepts:  "Homo sapiens is unique.  All species are. " (Regular biological uniqueness) 
  Criticizes:  "But this sort of uniqueness is  not enough  for many people" (Those who want humans to be categorically separated)

The Author's Critical Tone:

Notice the sarcastic language when discussing these people:
 
 "For  some reason , it is very important..." (implies there's no good reason) 
 "I have  never been able to understand why " (direct criticism) 
 "I, however,  fail to see what difference it makes " (dismissive of their concerns)

Process Diagnosis: 
You correctly identified that the author supports uniqueness, but missed that he distinguishes between:
 
 Natural biological uniqueness (every species has unique traits) ✓ Author supports 
 Categorical separation of humans from all other life ✗ Author criticizes

The people he criticizes desperately want to prove humans have abilities that are fundamentally different in  kind , not just in degree - they can't accept that bees might have "language" or chimps might use "tools" because that would make humans less special.

Strategic Framework for RC Tone Questions: 
When an author seems to contradict themselves, look for:
 
 Qualifying words ("but," "however," "not enough") 
 Distinctions between similar concepts (unique vs. uniquely unique) 
 Sarcastic phrases ("for some reason," "absolutely essential")

This pattern appears frequently in GMAT RC passages where authors critique extreme positions while holding moderate views.

The answer is  C  - the author criticizes those who believe Homo sapiens and animals belong to  separate and distinct divisions  of the living world.

The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's inte

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's inte

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