Question

The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage. All that we think we know about how life hangs together is really some kind of illusion that we have perpetrated on ourselves because of our limited vision. What appear to be inanimate objects such as stones turn out not only to be alive in the same way that we are, but also in many infinitesimal ways to be affected by stimuli just as humans are. The distinction between animate and inanimate simply cannot be made when you enter the world of quantum mechanics and try to determine how those apparent subatomic particles, of which you and everything else in our universe is composed, are all tied together. The point is that physics and metaphysics show there is a pattern to the universe that goes beyond our capacity to grasp it with our brains.

• A. The inanimate world is both sentient and cognizant like its animate counterpart.
• B. The effect of stimuli is similar in inanimate objects when compared to animate objects or living beings.
• C. Quantum physics indicates that an astigmatic view of reality results in erroneous assumptions about the universe.
• D. Arbitrary distinctions between inanimate and animate objects disappear at the scale at which quantum mechanics works.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

The main focus of the passage is on animate and inanimate objects, suggesting that there is no distinction between the two in the realm of quantum mechanics. Option 4 accurately captures this idea. Option 1 is eliminated because 'sentient' and 'cognizant' are too extreme; the absence of a distinction between animate and inanimate doesn't imply that inanimate things are sentient or cognizant. Option 2 misses the crucial term 'quantum mechanics.' Option 3 is ruled out because it mentions 'erroneous assumptions,' which are not discussed in the passage. Therefore, option 4 is the best choice.