Read the passage and answer the questions:
"Normal science, the activity in which most scientists inevitably spend almost all their time, is based on the assumption that the scientific community knows what the world is like. Scientists take great pains to defend that assumption, often restricting their vision to the phenomena that the existing paradigm has defined as relevant. When research proceeds in this fashion, findings tend to be incremental, reinforcing the established framework rather than challenging it. Yet, over time, anomalies—empirical observations that cannot be explained within the current paradigm—accumulate. Initially, these anomalies are dismissed as errors or as problems to be solved within the existing theoretical structure. However, as these anomalies grow in number and significance, they begin to erode confidence in the prevailing paradigm.
The resolution of such crises is not a straightforward process of falsification, as Popper might suggest, but rather a transformation in the very way scientists see the world. Scientific revolutions occur when a new paradigm emerges—one that is not merely an extension of the old but a fundamental reconceptualization of reality. This shift is not purely logical or empirical; it involves a radical change in perspective, akin to a gestalt switch. The Copernican Revolution, for example, did not merely adjust astronomical calculations; it redefined the very framework through which celestial motion was understood. Similarly, Einstein's theory of relativity did not just modify Newtonian mechanics but replaced its foundational assumptions about space and time.
What does the word "gestalt switch" imply in this context?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer
A fundamental change in perception
Explanation
To understand what "gestalt switch" implies, look at how the phrase is contextualized within the passage:
Textual Definition: The passage explicitly states that the shift is "not purely logical or empirical; it involves a radical change in perspective, akin to a gestalt switch."
Literary Meaning: A "gestalt switch" refers to a psychological phenomenon where an observer suddenly looks at the same data or image but perceives an entirely new structure or meaning (like looking at the classic optical illusion and suddenly seeing a rabbit instead of a duck).
Application to the Text: The author uses it to describe scientific revolutions (such as the Copernican or Einsteinian shifts) that do not simply adjust old data. Instead, they require scientists to experience a complete, comprehensive transformation in the way they look at and interpret reality.
Key Points
Core Contrast: The text contrasts incremental, subtle progress with a "radical change in perspective" and a "fundamental reconceptualization of reality." This automatically eliminates options suggesting "subtle expansion."
Exam Shortcut: The word perspective in the passage directly correlates with perception in the options. A "radical change in perspective" translates perfectly to a fundamental change in perception.