If we examine the evolution of software engineering over the past

Question

If we examine the evolution of software engineering over the past fifty years, it becomes apparent that every major advance is dependent upon the refinement of dozens of proceeding breakthroughs. As many experts in the field have now recognized, all new developments can be somehow characterized as extensions of an existing pattern or known process. Thus, computer scientists are all standing on the shoulders of giants as they experiment with new spins on old themes.

If all of the statements in the passage are true, each of the following must also be true EXCEPT:

If all of the statements in the passage are true, each of the following must also be true EXCEPT:

(A) Productive computer scientists must possess the ability to expand on precedents.

(B) A few modern software engineering techniques make use of novel hardware and represent true independent breakthroughs.

(C) The groundwork for all modern software engineering was laid more than fifty years ago.

(D) No discovery in computer science is truly independent of any previous work.

(E) Close inspection of any modern software can reveal the old ideas or processes upon which it is based.

kunaldutt15 · Answer

If we examine the evolution of software engineering over the past fifty years, it becomes apparent that every major advance is dependent upon the refinement of dozens of proceeding breakthroughs. As many experts in the field have now recognized, all new developments can be somehow characterized as extensions of an existing pattern or known process. Thus, computer scientists are all standing on the shoulders of giants as they experiment with new spins on old themes.

If all of the statements in the passage are true, each of the following must also be true EXCEPT:

If all of the statements in the passage are true, each of the following must also be true EXCEPT:

(B)A few modern software engineering techniques make use of novel hardware and represent true independent breakthroughs.
 
 The underlined portion of the stimulus says that "every" major advance is dependent on preceding breakthroughs. Based on this information, we can infer that there are no modern software engineering techniques that represent true independent breakthroughs. This negates what is given is option B. Hence, B is the correct option.

ReedArnoldMPREP · Answer

If we examine the evolution of software engineering over the past fifty years, it becomes apparent that every major advance is dependent upon the refinement of dozens of proceeding breakthroughs. As many experts in the field have now recognized, all new developments can be somehow characterized as extensions of an existing pattern or known process. Thus, computer scientists are all standing on the shoulders of giants as they experiment with new spins on old themes.

If all of the statements in the passage are true, each of the following must also be true EXCEPT:

If all of the statements in the passage are true, each of the following must also be true EXCEPT:

So first thing to note is that this question is asking me to make an INFERENCE from what is written in the passage. I also note this is an 'except' question, so I know that four of these answers CAN be inferred, the right answer CANNOT be inferred.

I often don't like 'except' questions but this one might be okay. I usually do 'Inference' questions by getting rid of four 'not allowed inferences.' Now I only have to find one.

I read the passage:

It seems to be saying that all software engineering breakthroughs involve making a new spin on old ideas. Each new idea is an extension of a new one.

So I'm looking for something that CANNOT be inferred from that.

(A)Productive computer scientists must possess the ability to expand on precedents.

That seems a viable inference. If all breakthroughs are by 'twisting' old thoughts, a computer scientist who is 'productive' (produces something new) must expand an old idea. I'll get rid of this.

(B)A few modern software engineering techniques make use of novel hardware and represent true independent breakthroughs.

I don't love this as an inference. It seems the opposite of what is written. So far, all breakthroughs have built off old ideas. I think this is maybe the right answer.

(C)The groundwork for all modern software engineering was laid more than fifty years ago.

Well I wasn't thinking about this, but it does say every breakthrough in the last fifty years has been an expansion of an old idea. So the first breakthrough, fifty years ago, had to be on some foundation laid *before* fifty years ago. This seems like a valid inference, so I get rid of it.

(D)No discovery in computer science is truly independent of any previous work.

Again this seems pretty much in line with what was said. Every new idea is built off an old idea. Eliminate.

(E)Close inspection of any modern software can reveal the old ideas or processes upon which it is based.

Not quite how I thought about it, but if many experts have recognized that every new breakthrough is an expansion of an old idea, they must be able to find the old ideas (otherwise how could they *know* it was an expansion of that idea?) Eliminate.

The only answer that seems *not* an inference is B.

Thekingmaker · Answer

This is one amognst the easiest that i have ecer wondered every other option expect for B was stating of dependent evolution this was the only one that thestated one had plans which had a novel breakthrough independent of any other inventions that were committed in the past

Adit_ · Answer

I dont agree with the explanations provided for the question. The stem states "over the past fifty years" so saying "no discovery in computer science is truly independent of "any" previous work IMO is actually false. Because of the fact that some work before those fifty years ago actually did have the novel idea upon which it is being built now. Option B only assumes for the current fifty year so it "must be true" the fact that somebody in computer science did bring about an independent breakthrough that acts as a spine now in the last fifty years which is what the stem is talking of.

Bunuel  Kindly help me out with this! Thanks!

guddo · Answer

If we examine the evolution of software engineering over the past fifty years, it becomes apparent that every major advance is dependent upon the refinement of dozens of proceeding breakthroughs. As many experts in the field have now recognized, all new developments can be somehow characterized as extensions of an existing pattern or known process. Thus, computer scientists are all standing on the shoulders of giants as they experiment with new spins on old themes. 
 
If all of the statements in the passage are true, each of the following must also be true EXCEPT:

The passage says major advances build on many earlier breakthroughs, and that new developments are  extensions  of existing patterns, not independent leaps. So the correct EXCEPT choice is the one that does not have to follow from that.

(A) Productive computer scientists must possess the ability to expand on precedents.

This fits the passage: if new developments are extensions of old patterns, then producing new developments requires building on precedents.

(B) A few modern software engineering techniques make use of novel hardware and represent true independent breakthroughs.

This clashes with the passage’s core claim that all new developments are extensions of existing patterns. If the passage is true, then “true independent breakthroughs” do not occur, so this does not have to be true.  This is the EXCEPT.

(C) The groundwork for all modern software engineering was laid more than fifty years ago.

The passage implies groundwork exists, but it does not force a specific cutoff of more than fifty years. Still, the passage does require earlier groundwork in general, so this is closer than (B).

(D) No discovery in computer science is truly independent of any previous work.

This is essentially a restatement of the “extensions of an existing pattern” idea, so it must be true if the passage is true.

(E) Close inspection of any modern software can reveal the old ideas or processes upon which it is based.

If developments are new spins on old themes, then modern software should reflect those underlying earlier ideas, so this follows.

Answer: (B)

If we examine the evolution of software engineering over the past

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If we examine the evolution of software engineering over the past

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