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Question:

The passage given below is followed by four summaries. Choose the option that best captures the author’s position.

Both Socrates and Bacon were very good at asking useful questions. In fact, Socrates is largely credited with coming up with a way of asking questions, ‘the Socratic method’, which itself is at the core of the ‘scientific method’, popularized by Bacon. The Socratic method disproves arguments by finding exceptions to them, and can therefore lead your opponent to a point where they admit something that contradicts their original position. In common with Socrates, Bacon stressed it was as important to disprove a theory as it was to prove one-and real-world observation and experimentation were key to achieving both aims Bacon also saw science as a collaborative affair, with scientists working together, challenging each other.

Explanation:

The main points in the précis are:

Socrates and Bacon were both skilled at asking the right questions
The Socratic method helps disproves theories and is a cornerstone of what is known as the Scientific method
Bacon used real-world observation and experimentation as key to disproving theories
Option 1 is incorrect. Socrates and Bacon advocated the use of the right questions, not clever questions, to validate arguments. Eliminate option 1.

Option 2 is incorrect. Bacon thought it was as important to disprove an argument as it was to prove it and he advocated the use of observation and experiment, not Socrates. Eliminate option 2.
Option 3 is incorrect. Exceptions were used by Socrates to disprove arguments and not to confirm them. Eliminate option 3.
Option 4 is correct. Both Socrates and Bacon are credited, in the précis, with developing the right mode to questioning an argument so that invalid arguments could be disproved. Retain option 4.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

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