#24 - Global Reference, Must Be True, Subject Perspective

[LSAT2018]

For this question, I was conflicted between Answer (B) and Answer (C).
Where in the passage does it reference recreating the starting conditions? Does it refer to the first paragraph when it says 'John Sommerer and Edward Ott have conceived of a physical system in which even the least change in the starting conditions—no matter how small, inadvertent, or undetectable—can alter results radically' (line 5-8)?

[Jonathan Evans]

Hi, LSAT2018,

Good questions, and thank you for sharing your analysis. You are absolutely on the mark. Lines 5-8 provide justification for the the inference that Sommerer and Ott are interested in systems in which starting conditions are inimitable. The subsequent discussion of the "riddled basins experiment" illustrates the concept that even if water were spilled in identical locations, everything could be different.

The reason why (B) is unsupported is because it actually contradicts the passage. Note specifically that (B) discusses "chaotic" systems. On lines 43-46, the author discusses the distinction between Sommerer and Ott's "riddled basins" and a chaotic system, in which "a particle's general destination would be predictable."

I hope this helps!

[SammyWu11201]

I'm having a hard time understanding why answer choice C is correct. Lines 5-8 say that Sommerer and Ott's physical system is one in which the starting conditions, no matter how small, inadvertent, or undetectable, can alter results radically. How do you we jump from that to saying that it is impossible to re-create exactly the starting conditions of an experiment? Answer C talks about creating starting conditions when the passage never talks about the concept of creating starting conditions. Also, the passage talks about approximate starting conditions, not exactly the same starting conditions.

[KelseyWoods]

Hi Sammy!

Lines 5-8 state: " John Sommerer and Edward Ott have conceived of a physical system in which even the least change in the starting conditions—no matter how small, inadvertent, or undetectable—can alter results radically."

There's a key word in there that might help you see why answer choice (C) is correct undetectable.

If a change in starting conditions can be undetectable then it would be impossible to know whether you have totally recreated those starting conditions or not. Thus, it would sometimes be impossible to re-create exactly the starting conditions of an experiment.

When they are talking about a "change in the starting conditions," they are talking about recreating starting conditions. You can't have a change in the starting conditions of an experiment unless you are trying to recreate it. If you're not recreating an experiment then your starting conditions are just your starting conditions and you would be unconcerned about whether they have changed relative to the starting conditions of a different experiment.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kelsey

[dimi.wassef@yahoo.com]

Hello,
Why is it only 'sometimes' impossible? Wouldn't they agree that it would 'always' be impossible?

[Beth Hayden]

Hi Dimi,

Well, the scientists just designed one system. In that one system they created there is no way to perfectly recreate the same starting conditions to replicate the experiment. But proving that theory with one system doesn't necessarily mean it's true all the time, with every single possible experiment.

The author concludes that there are probably other systems where this is the case as well, because it's really unlikely that there would only be one setup with this characteristic that they just so happened to stumble upon on the first try. However, that does not mean that this is true with every single experiment! In fact, that's probably not the case at all, given that it's a foundation of scientific research that you should be able to recreate an experiment. That implies that most of the time you can replicate things. Sommerer and Ott just proved that sometimes (in this case) an experiment can be credible even though it's not possible to ever recreate it exactly.

Hope that helps!
Beth