Critical Reasoning

18. Many physicists claim that quantum mechanics may
ultimately be able to explain all fundamental phenomena,
and that, therefore, physical theory will soon be complete.
However, every theory in the history of physics that was
thought to be final eventually had to be rejected for failure to
explain some new observation. For this reason, we can
expect that quantum mechanics will not be the final theory.

Which one of the following arguments is most similar in
its reasoning to the argument above?

(A) Only a few species of plants now grow in very dry climates;
therefore, few species of animals can live in those climates.

(B) Four companies have marketed a new food processing
product; therefore, a fifth company will not be able to market a
similar product.

(C) Your sister is a very good chess player but she has
never won a chess tournament; therefore, she will not
win this chess tournament.

(D) A rare virus infected a group of people a decade ago;
therefore, it will not reinfect the same population
now.

(E) Each team member has failed to live up to people's
expectations; therefore, the team will not live up to
people's expectations.

Essentially this question says that because every theory in physics has been ultimately rejected, this theory will not be final. (Basically this is an analogy argument that says the new thing will turn out just like the old thing)

A. This talks about few - not all - therefore it is incorrect.

B. This discusses a specific number and does not say that the 5th will be like all the others so it is incorrect

C. This one is correct because it says that your sister's past performance predicts what will happen.

D. this one says that the outcomes will not be the same so that is incorrect.

E. This is close but it talks about each member of the team, not previous teams therefore it is incorrect.

I also wanted to mark E . But Its a C ....bt i really cant understand how one draws a parallel between the "However" twist & the list of answers.

C . being the final ANS

Got this one correct


Question says - General (all theories failed in the past) to Specific (quantum mechanics will also fail)

This is the trend followed in option C

took me a while to get this one...

its important to understand the Q's structure before jumping to the Answe choices else ppl like me tend to get confused..

so the statment says, "we have smth new, but stuff like this never worked out in the past, so this wont work out as well" --> past performance as an indicator for future performance

C is the only one tht fits

A, B ,E have no reference to time so they are out
D is talkin about the same group (but in the Q we have a NEW theory)

<c>

My pick C

oh i did this question right within 60 seconds actually i compared the reasoning given in the argument with the options and ended up with the right answer which is option C

Broken down, the argument is: object is good, but will fail because past history is a predictor of future results.

C most clearly fits this type of argument.

Oh yes!! picked C

(C) is a correct one

The following is the reason why (E) is not correct
Even if the individuals couldn't live upto expectation. The collective performance can lead the team to success. The comparison is not apple to apple

C is the correct answer.
Only C gives the reasoning that past due to past performance she will not be able to perform good.

C for me too, although for a moment I fell for E.

I was confused between C and E then it became clear that C is the right answer

Trend = A is good, A has never succeeded. So, A never will !

Question and C have this trend !

So, Answer C