PT 73 Section 1 Q. 5: Strict constructionist Darwinians Forum

[M.M.]

Was stuck between A and B for quite a while. Chose B because there was no language in the passage that could be described as "emphatic." If I'm looking for something "emphatic" I'm thinking of the author downright and openly dismissing the strict constructionalists, e.g. saying something like "but this ridiculous claim is countered by the most easily accessible evidence." I also didn't think "mild disapproval" was correct either, since he did devote most of the passage to discrediting the idea. But emphatic? There was nothing there for that. Other than I guess by noting that the passage was devoted to discrediting the idea, how would you argue for A and against B? This is one of those answers that pisses me off because it seems like a 50/50 and then turns out to be 49/51.

Edit: Oh and does anyone know where I can get explanations for these? I've got an MLSAT package but they don't have explanations for PT 70-73

[mornincounselor]

Post removed.

[Ron (PowerScore)]

To add my two cents, I think the strongest support for the difference between answer choices (A) and (B) is in the word choice early in the passage by which the author expresses his/her disdain for the "strict constructionist" Darwinians. For example, the use of "self-proclaimed" in line 5 and "assert" in line 10. Also, in line 6 the author refers to "reducing Darwinism" in a way that contradicts Darwin's own quoted objection to "all attempts to reduce" Darwinism.

Taken together, this language indicates that the author not only disagrees/disapproves of their position, but also believes their position is without any support, either in what it means to be a Darwinist or what the scientific evidence supports.

Ron