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Free ACT Test Exam Braindumps (page: 107)

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The following passage is from a discussion of various ways that living creatures have been classified over the years.

(1) The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's interests and principles of classification. The classifications (also known as taxonomies) in turn determine which comparisons seem natural or unnatural, which literal or analogical. For example, it has been common to classify living creatures into three distinct groups ­ plants, animals, and humans. According to this classification, human beings are not a special kind of animal, nor animals a special kind of plant. Thus, any comparisons between the three groups are strictly analogical. Reasoning from inheritance in garden peas to inheritance in fruit flies, and from these two species to inheritance in human beings, is sheer poetic metaphor.

(2) Another mode of classifying living creatures is commonly attributed to Aristotle. Instead of treating plants, animals, and humans as distinct groups, they are nested. All living creatures possess a vegetative soul that enables them to grow and metabolize. Of these, some also have a sensory soul that enables them to sense their environments and move. One species also has a rational soul that is capable of true understanding. Thus, human beings are a special sort of animal, and animals are a special sort of plant. Given this classification, reasoning from human beings to all other species with respect to the attributes of the vegetative soul is legitimate, reasoning from human beings to other animals with respect to the attributes of the sensory soul is also legitimate, but reasoning from the rational characteristics of the human species to any other species is merely analogical. According to both classifications, the human species is unique. In the first, it has a kingdom all to itself; in the second, it stands at the pinnacle of the taxonomic hierarchy.

(3) Homo sapiens is unique. All species are. But this sort of uniqueness is not enough for many (probably most) people, philosophers included. For some reason, it is very important that the species to which we belong be uniquely unique. It is of utmost importance that the human species be insulated from all other species with respect to how we explain certain qualities. Human beings clearly are capable of developing and learning languages. For some reason, it is very important that the waggle dance performed by bees does not count as a genuine language. I have never been able to understand why. I happen to think that the waggle dance differs from human languages to such a degree that little is gained by terming them both "languages," but even if "language" is so defined that the waggle dance slips in, bees still remain bees. It is equally important to some that no other species use tools. No matter how ingenious other species get in the manipulation of objects in their environment, it is absolutely essential that nothing they do count as "tool use." I, however, fail to see what difference it makes whether any of these devices such as probes and anvils, etc. are really tools. All the species involved remain distinct biological species no matter what decisions are made. Similar observations hold for rationality and anything a computer might do.

According to the author, what is most responsible for influencing our perception of a comparison between species?

  1. The behavior of the organisms in their natural environment
  2. The organizational scheme imposed on the living world by researchers and philosophers
  3. The style of language used by scientists in presenting their research
  4. The sophistication of the communication between organisms
  5. The magnitude of hierarchical distance between a species and Homo sapiens

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

The author opens by explaining how "[t]he world can be classified in different ways" and states that "[t]he classifications ... determine which comparisons seem natural or unnatural, which literal or analogical". The passage then shows how comparisons differ according to which system of classification is used.



The following passage is from a discussion of various ways that living creatures have been classified over the years.

(1) The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's interests and principles of classification. The classifications (also known as taxonomies) in turn determine which comparisons seem natural or unnatural, which literal or analogical. For example, it has been common to classify living creatures into three distinct groups ­ plants, animals, and humans. According to this classification, human beings are not a special kind of animal, nor animals a special kind of plant. Thus, any comparisons between the three groups are strictly analogical. Reasoning from inheritance in garden peas to inheritance in fruit flies, and from these two species to inheritance in human beings, is sheer poetic metaphor.

(2) Another mode of classifying living creatures is commonly attributed to Aristotle. Instead of treating plants, animals, and humans as distinct groups, they are nested. All living creatures possess a vegetative soul that enables them to grow and metabolize. Of these, some also have a sensory soul that enables them to sense their environments and move. One species also has a rational soul that is capable of true understanding. Thus, human beings are a special sort of animal, and animals are a special sort of plant. Given this classification, reasoning from human beings to all other species with respect to the attributes of the vegetative soul is legitimate, reasoning from human beings to other animals with respect to the attributes of the sensory soul is also legitimate, but reasoning from the rational characteristics of the human species to any other species is merely analogical. According to both classifications, the human species is unique. In the first, it has a kingdom all to itself; in the second, it stands at the pinnacle of the taxonomic hierarchy.

(3) Homo sapiens is unique. All species are. But this sort of uniqueness is not enough for many (probably most) people, philosophers included. For some reason, it is very important that the species to which we belong be uniquely unique. It is of utmost importance that the human species be insulated from all other species with respect to how we explain certain qualities. Human beings clearly are capable of developing and learning languages. For some reason, it is very important that the waggle dance performed by bees does not count as a genuine language. I have never been able to understand why. I happen to think that the waggle dance differs from human languages to such a degree that little is gained by terming them both "languages," but even if "language" is so defined that the waggle dance slips in, bees still remain bees. It is equally important to some that no other species use tools. No matter how ingenious other species get in the manipulation of objects in their environment, it is absolutely essential that nothing they do count as "tool use." I, however, fail to see what difference it makes whether any of these devices such as probes and anvils, etc. are really tools. All the species involved remain distinct biological species no matter what decisions are made. Similar observations hold for rationality and anything a computer might do.

Which of the following is NOT possible within an Aristotelian classification scheme?

  1. Two species that are alike in having sensory souls but differ in that one lacks a rational soul
  2. Two species that are alike in having vegetative souls but differ in that only one has a sensory soul
  3. A species having a vegetative soul while lacking sensory and rational souls
  4. A species having vegetative and rational souls while lacking a sensory soul
  5. A species having vegetative and sensory souls while lacking a rational soul

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

The Aristotelian classification scheme is hierarchical, with only three possible classifications:
1. vegetative only;
2. vegetative plus sensory only;
3. vegetative plus sensory plus rational.
Accordingly, species possessing a rational soul must possess a sensory soul because they are a subset of the group possessing a sensory soul.



The following passage is from a discussion of various ways that living creatures have been classified over the years.

(1) The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's interests and principles of classification. The classifications (also known as taxonomies) in turn determine which comparisons seem natural or unnatural, which literal or analogical. For example, it has been common to classify living creatures into three distinct groups ­ plants, animals, and humans. According to this classification, human beings are not a special kind of animal, nor animals a special kind of plant. Thus, any comparisons between the three groups are strictly analogical. Reasoning from inheritance in garden peas to inheritance in fruit flies, and from these two species to inheritance in human beings, is sheer poetic metaphor.

(2) Another mode of classifying living creatures is commonly attributed to Aristotle. Instead of treating plants, animals, and humans as distinct groups, they are nested. All living creatures possess a vegetative soul that enables them to grow and metabolize. Of these, some also have a sensory soul that enables them to sense their environments and move. One species also has a rational soul that is capable of true understanding. Thus, human beings are a special sort of animal, and animals are a special sort of plant. Given this classification, reasoning from human beings to all other species with respect to the attributes of the vegetative soul is legitimate, reasoning from human beings to other animals with respect to the attributes of the sensory soul is also legitimate, but reasoning from the rational characteristics of the human species to any other species is merely analogical. According to both classifications, the human species is unique. In the first, it has a kingdom all to itself; in the second, it stands at the pinnacle of the taxonomic hierarchy.

(3) Homo sapiens is unique. All species are. But this sort of uniqueness is not enough for many (probably most) people, philosophers included. For some reason, it is very important that the species to which we belong be uniquely unique. It is of utmost importance that the human species be insulated from all other species with respect to how we explain certain qualities. Human beings clearly are capable of developing and learning languages. For some reason, it is very important that the waggle dance performed by bees does not count as a genuine language. I have never been able to understand why. I happen to think that the waggle dance differs from human languages to such a degree that little is gained by terming them both "languages," but even if "language" is so defined that the waggle dance slips in, bees still remain bees. It is equally important to some that no other species use tools. No matter how ingenious other species get in the manipulation of objects in their environment, it is absolutely essential that nothing they do count as "tool use." I, however, fail to see what difference it makes whether any of these devices such as probes and anvils, etc. are really tools. All the species involved remain distinct biological species no matter what decisions are made. Similar observations hold for rationality and anything a computer might do.

Which of the following comparisons would be "legitimate" for all living organisms according to the Aristotelian scheme described in paragraph two (2)?

I). Comparisons based on the vegetative soul
II). Comparisons based on the sensory soul
III). Comparisons based on the rational soul

  1. I only
  2. II only
  3. III only
  4. II and III only
  5. I, II, and III

Answer(s): A

Explanation:

The Aristotelian scheme classifies species according to a hierarchy with all species included in the bottom layer (possessing a vegetative soul), some from the bottom layer included in the middle layer (also possessing a sensory soul), and some from the middle layer included in the top layer (also possessing a rational soul).
Comparisons are only legitimate regarding soul types the species have in common; comparisons between species regarding a type of soul found only in one are "merely analogical". Since all living organisms have a vegetative soul, comparisons on the basis of this attribute are always legitimate. However, since only some living organisms have a sensory soul, and only species at the top of the hierarchy have a rational soul, comparisons with respect to these attributes cannot be legitimately made among all living creatures.



The following passage is from a discussion of various ways that living creatures have been classified over the years.

(1) The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's interests and principles of classification. The classifications (also known as taxonomies) in turn determine which comparisons seem natural or unnatural, which literal or analogical. For example, it has been common to classify living creatures into three distinct groups ­ plants, animals, and humans. According to this classification, human beings are not a special kind of animal, nor animals a special kind of plant. Thus, any comparisons between the three groups are strictly analogical. Reasoning from inheritance in garden peas to inheritance in fruit flies, and from these two species to inheritance in human beings, is sheer poetic metaphor.

(2) Another mode of classifying living creatures is commonly attributed to Aristotle. Instead of treating plants, animals, and humans as distinct groups, they are nested. All living creatures possess a vegetative soul that enables them to grow and metabolize. Of these, some also have a sensory soul that enables them to sense their environments and move. One species also has a rational soul that is capable of true understanding. Thus, human beings are a special sort of animal, and animals are a special sort of plant. Given this classification, reasoning from human beings to all other species with respect to the attributes of the vegetative soul is legitimate, reasoning from human beings to other animals with respect to the attributes of the sensory soul is also legitimate, but reasoning from the rational characteristics of the human species to any other species is merely analogical. According to both classifications, the human species is unique. In the first, it has a kingdom all to itself; in the second, it stands at the pinnacle of the taxonomic hierarchy.

(3) Homo sapiens is unique. All species are. But this sort of uniqueness is not enough for many (probably most) people, philosophers included. For some reason, it is very important that the species to which we belong be uniquely unique. It is of utmost importance that the human species be insulated from all other species with respect to how we explain certain qualities. Human beings clearly are capable of developing and learning languages. For some reason, it is very important that the waggle dance performed by bees does not count as a genuine language. I have never been able to understand why. I happen to think that the waggle dance differs from human languages to such a degree that little is gained by terming them both "languages," but even if "language" is so defined that the waggle dance slips in, bees still remain bees. It is equally important to some that no other species use tools. No matter how ingenious other species get in the manipulation of objects in their environment, it is absolutely essential that nothing they do count as "tool use." I, however, fail to see what difference it makes whether any of these devices such as probes and anvils, etc. are really tools. All the species involved remain distinct biological species no matter what decisions are made. Similar observations hold for rationality and anything a computer might do.

If the author had wished to explain why "most" people feel the way they do, the would have probably focused on the:

  1. reality of distinct biological species
  2. most recent advances in biological research
  3. behavioral similarities between Homo sapiens and other species
  4. role of language in the development of technology
  5. lack of objectivity in the classification of Homo sapiens

Answer(s): E

Explanation:

Through exaggeration and sarcasm, the author ridicules people's need for greater distinction. The author suggests that this need stems from defensiveness and insecurity: "it is very important that the species to which we belong be uniquely unique. It is of utmost importance that the human species be insulated from all other species with respect to how we explain certain qualities.". The author then implies that whether a capability is classified as strictly human depends on how it is defined, thus making the classification subject to opinion and bias: "even if 'language' is so defined that the waggle dance slips in".






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