Question

Which one of the following statements contradicts the arguments of the passage?

• A. The problems of command over a disempowered and deskilled labour force gave rise to similar patterns of the capitalist rationalisation of production wherever masses were organised.
• B. Marx’s understanding of the capitalist rationalisation of production and Marcuse’s understanding of a “project” of “technological rationality” share theoretical inclinations.
• C. Paradoxically, the capitalist rationalisation of production is a mark of so-called socialist systems as well.
• D. Masses are organised in patterns set by Foucault’s prisons and Habermas’ public sphere
• A. Technologies form the environmental context and shape the contours of human society.
• B. Nature decides the point at which society loses its capacity to control history
• C. The romantic conception of nature referred to by the passage is the one that requires theoretical legitimacy
• D. It is not human nature, but human culture that is represented by institutions such as law and custom.
• A. Technology, laws, and customs are not unlike each other if considered as institutions.
• B. Technology, laws, and customs are comparable, but dissimilar phenomena.
• C. Automobiles represent the interest in mobility present in human nature.
• D. Technological environments privilege certain dimensions of human nature as effectively as laws and customs.
• A. analyses of technologies must engage with their social histories to be able to reveal their implicit and explicit meanings for us.
• B. the significance of parental authority to children’s safety does not therefore imply that parental authority is a permanent aspect of human nature.
• C. the critical theory of technology argues that, as issues of human rights become more prominent, we lose sight of the ways in which the social order becomes more authoritarian
• D. technologies seek to privilege certain dimensions of human nature at a high cost to lived nature.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

To solve this question, we need to identify which statement contradicts the passage's arguments. The passage discusses the critical theory of technology and explores the role of technological rationalization across different political systems. It mentions Marx, Foucault, and Habermas in relation to the rationalization of production and technological rationality: 

• The first option states that issues with labor control led to capitalist rationalization patterns worldwide. This aligns with the passage's discussion of capitalist rationalization in different sectors and systems, including socialist ones.
• The second option suggests Marx and Marcuse share theoretical viewpoints. The passage mentions Marx's and Marcuse's views on rationalization and technological design, indicating parallel inclinations.
• The third option claims that capitalist rationalization is present in socialist systems as well. The passage clearly describes this phenomenon, affirming the statement.
• The fourth option states that masses are organized in patterns set by Foucault’s prisons and Habermas’ public sphere. While the passage mentions organization patterns in Foucault's and Habermas’ contexts, it does not argue these patterns directly organize masses. The contradiction arises because it attributes organizational roles to Foucault's and Habermas' patterns, which is not explicitly supported in the passage.

Thus, the statement "Masses are organised in patterns set by Foucault’s prisons and Habermas’ public sphere" contradicts the passage.

Answer 2

The correct answer to the question is: Technologies form the environmental context and shape the contours of human society.

The passage discusses the critical theory of technology as a political theory of modernity. It highlights how technology, rather than being merely a collection of tools, forms an environment that determines our way of life. Technologies are compared to laws and customs in their ability to shape individuals within their environment. This point aligns with the statement that technologies shape the contours of human society, suggesting that they create the structural backdrop against which society functions.

The other options are less aligned with the passage's arguments: 

1. The option 'Nature decides the point at which society loses its capacity to control history' refers to a concept in the Frankfurt School, contrasting with the passage's main argument focused on technology's role in shaping society.
2. 'The romantic conception of nature referred to by the passage is the one that requires theoretical legitimacy' touches upon a less central theme in the passage, which instead emphasizes the practical implications of technology in societal structures.
3. 'It is not human nature, but human culture that is represented by institutions such as law and custom' suggests a focus shifted away from technology, the primary focus of the passage's arguments.

Answer 3

The main task is to identify the main argument of the fourth paragraph from the passage provided. The paragraph discusses the similarity between technology, laws, and customs as institutions that shape human nature. It argues that these elements exert influence not by mere existence but through the roles and behaviors they encourage or propagate within society. As institutions, they privilege specific dimensions of human nature, suggesting they function similarly despite their distinct forms. 

Analyzing the given options:

• The statement "Technology, laws, and customs are not unlike each other if considered as institutions" clearly captures this argument, as it identifies the common organizational framework these elements create and highlights their institutional similarity.
• The second option mentions these elements as comparable but dissimilar phenomena, which contradicts the paragraph's depiction of them as sharing key institutional characteristics.
• The third option about automobiles and human nature's interest in mobility is a specific example used within the paragraph to illustrate a point, not the main argument itself.
• The final option discusses the preferential treatment of human nature by these environments but shifts focus from their institutional similarity to more specific structural effects.

Thus, the best reflection of the main argument is:

Technology, laws, and customs are not unlike each other if considered as institutions.

Answer 4

To solve the given Comprehension question, we need to understand which claim cannot be inferred from the passage. Let's analyze each option:

1. Analyses of technologies must engage with their social histories to be able to reveal their implicit and explicit meanings for us: The passage states that social histories of technologies have made important contributions and a hermeneutics of technology must make explicit the meanings implicit in devices and rituals. Therefore, this can be inferred from the passage.
2. The significance of parental authority to children’s safety does not therefore imply that parental authority is a permanent aspect of human nature: The passage mentions customs like parental authority representing interests like childhood protection but states that this does not imply eternal human nature. Hence, this can also be inferred.
3. The critical theory of technology argues that, as issues of human rights become more prominent, we lose sight of the ways in which the social order becomes more authoritarian: The passage discusses how advances in human rights mask the increasing authoritarian social order. Therefore, this claim is consistent with the passage and can be inferred.
4. Technologies seek to privilege certain dimensions of human nature at a high cost to lived nature: The passage mentions that technologies represent interests by privileging certain human dimensions but does not mention any cost to lived nature. Hence, this claim cannot be inferred from the passage.

Therefore, the correct choice is: Technologies seek to privilege certain dimensions of human nature at a high cost to lived nature.