is my answer key wrong or is this question total bull?

[shmoo597]

I have an issue with question 15 on the second section of logical reasoning on the Feb. 1999 test.

The question is about scientific laws and social sciences. My answer key (testmasters) is telling me the correct answer is A. I can see absolutely no reason why A is the answer, and many reasons why E is the answer.

Answer A mentions what kind of law is to be "preferred" yet nothing in the stimulus even remotely hints at preference. The stimulus does however describe how social science laws do not have 1. precision, nor 2. generality, the two characteristics that the stimulus says a scientific law should ideally have. This is exactly what E says.

Does anyone have a different answer key for this question? If I am wrong, and the answer is A...can anyone explain that? I am quite puzzled...Thanks.

[GCoop.]

Ideally = preferably.  They are synonyms.

Nothing in the stimulus suggests that social science is in any way not scientific, just that it can't use this one ideal part of science.  E does not have to be true because nothing in the stimulus proves that social science is ALWAYS unscientific.  Not by a long shot.

Your answer key is not wrong, and the question is not total bull.

[shmoo597]

Yea...I feel kind of silly. "Invariably" makes E wrong. And I guess I can see why A is correct. Damn.