PSAT Reading Question 454: Answer and Explanation

Question: 454

The fundamental question raised by the first paragraph of Passage 1 is

• A. why is it that scientific inquiry is dismissed in favor of political dogma?
• B. why are philosophers considered superior to more practical professionals?
• C. why shouldn't archaeology take precedence over historical research?
• D. why can't modern society directly have transcendental experiences?

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

(D) In the first passage, Emerson is concerned with why the current age is retrospective, or always looking back into the past. He advocates, instead, for "a poetry and philosophy of insight" rather than relying on traditional discourses. Similarly, he says we should "demand our own works" and interrogate what is natural. Hence, he raises the question of why we rely on what others have said instead of having our own experiences and creating our own theories, making choice (D) correct. He is not concerned with feuds or inconsistencies between separate fields as in choices (A), (B), and (C).