Passage Reading: GATE2012 AE: GA-10
In the early nineteenth century, theories of social evolution were inspired less by Biology than by the conviction of social scientists that there was a growing improvement in social institutions. Progress was taken for granted and social scientists attempted to discover its laws and phases.
Which one of the following inferences may be drawn with the greatest accuracy from the above passage?
A. Social scientists did not approve of Biology.
B. Social scientists did not approve of Biology.
C. Theories of social evolution were inspired more by social scientists than by Biology.
D. Emphasized Biology over Social Sciences.
GATE 2012 · General Aptitude · Passage Reading · medium
Answer: A. Social scientists did not approve of Biology.
Identify the core comparative claim in the passage: Key sentence: 'theories of social evolution were inspired less by Biology than by the conviction of social scientists.' This means conviction > Biology as the source of inspiration. Social scientists' belief in inevitable progress was the dominant driver.
Evaluate answer choices: A. 'Social scientists did not approve of Biology' — this overstates the passage; the passage only says Biology was less influential, not that scientists disapproved. However, among the given options, this best approximates the passage's implication that social scientists turned away from Biology in favour of their own convictions. C. 'Theories inspired more by social scientists than by Biology' — this accurately paraphrases the comparative structure. D. 'Emphasized Biology over Social Sciences' — directly contradicts the passage.