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UPSC Prelims 2023CSATReading ComprehensionPhilosophy and Governance

Q42. Which one of the following statements best reflects the most rational, logical and practical message conveyed by the passage?

A. Modern statesmen need to be well trained in scientific methods and philosophical thinking to enable them to have a better perspective of their roles, responsibilities and goals.
B. It is not desirable to have Governments managed by empirical statesmen unless well mixed with others who are grounded in learning and reflect wisdom.✓ Correct
C. As the statesmen/bureaucrats are the products of a society, it is desirable to have a system of education in a society that focuses on training its citizens in scientific method and philosophical thinking from a very early age.
D. It is desirable that all scientists need to be philosophers as well to make their work goal- oriented and thus purposeful and useful to the society.

Detailed Solution

✓ Correct Answer: Option B

The passage draws an analogy between science needing philosophy and government needing statesmanship (guided by total knowledge and perspective). It explicitly states, 'Government suffers, precisely like science, for lack of philosophy' and that 'the pursuit of politics becomes a destructive bedlam when divorced from science and philosophy.' This implies that a purely empirical, fact-driven approach in governance, without the guiding principles and wisdom of philosophy, is detrimental.

Option (B) captures this by suggesting that governments should not be managed *solely* by empirical statesmen but should be 'well mixed with others who are grounded in learning and reflect wisdom.' This aligns with the passage's call for a broader, philosophical perspective in governance. Options (A), (C), and (D) propose specific training or universal roles which, while potentially beneficial, are not the direct, most rational, logical, and practical message conveyed by the passage's analogy and critique.

This question requires a nuanced understanding of the analogy presented, a challenging aspect of CSAT comprehension.

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