🎓 CAT Reading Comprehension

Philosophy of Science: Karl Popper on Dogmatic vs. Critical Thinking
📚 Curated by Prashant Sir | 5 Questions
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📋 Instructions

  • Read the passage carefully and answer all 5 questions
  • Select one option for each question (A, B, C, D, or E)
  • Click "Submit Test" to see your score and detailed solutions
  • Solutions will appear directly under each question

📖 The Passage

Our propensity to look out for regularities, and to impose laws upon nature, leads to the psychological phenomenon of dogmatic thinking or, more generally, dogmatic behaviour: we expect regularities everywhere and attempt to find them even where there are none; events which do not yield to these attempts we are inclined to treat as a kind of 'background noise'; and we stick to our expectations even when they are inadequate and we ought to accept defeat. This dogmatism is to some extent necessary. It is demanded by a situation which can only be dealt with by forcing our conjectures upon the world. Moreover, this dogmatism allows us to approach a good theory in stages, by way of approximations: if we accept defeat too easily, we may prevent ourselves from finding that we were very nearly right.

It is clear that this dogmatic attitude, which makes us stick to our first impressions, is indicative of a strong belief; while a critical attitude, which is ready to modify its tenets, which admits doubt and demands tests, is indicative of a weaker belief. Now according to Hume's theory, and to the popular theory, the strength of a belief should be a product of repetition; thus it should always grow with experience, and always be greater in less primitive persons. But dogmatic thinking, an uncontrolled wish to impose regularities, a manifest pleasure in rites and in repetition as such, is characteristic of primitives and children; and increasing experience and maturity sometimes create an attitude of caution and criticism rather than of dogmatism.

My logical criticism of Hume's psychological theory, and the considerations connected with it, may seem a little removed from the field of the philosophy of science. But the distinction between dogmatic and critical thinking, or the dogmatic and the critical attitude, brings us right back to our central problem. For the dogmatic attitude is clearly related to the tendency to verify our laws and schemata by seeking to apply them and to confirm them, even to the point of neglecting refutations, whereas the critical attitude is one of readiness to change them — to test them; to refute them; to falsify them, if possible. This suggests that we may identify the critical attitude with the scientific attitude, and the dogmatic attitude with the one which we have described as pseudo-scientific. It further suggests that genetically speaking the pseudo-scientific attitude is more primitive than, and prior to, the scientific attitude: that it is a pre-scientific attitude. And this primitivity or priority also has its logical aspect. For the critical attitude is not so much opposed to the dogmatic attitude as super-imposed upon it: criticism must be directed against existing and influential beliefs in need of critical revision — in other words, dogmatic beliefs. A critical attitude needs for its raw material, as it were, theories or beliefs which are held more or less dogmatically.

Thus, science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths; neither with the collection of observations, nor with the invention of experiments, but with the critical discussion of myths, and of magical techniques and practices. The scientific tradition is distinguished from the pre-scientific tradition in having two layers. Like the latter, it passes on its theories; but it also passes on a critical attitude towards them. The theories are passed on, not as dogmas, but rather with the challenge to discuss them and improve upon them.

The critical attitude, the tradition of free discussion of theories with the aim of discovering their weak spots so that they may be improved upon, is the attitude of reasonableness, of rationality. From the point of view here developed, all laws, all theories, remain essentially tentative, or conjectural, or hypothetical, even when we feel unable to doubt them any longer. Before a theory has been refuted we can never know in what way it may have to be modified.

❓ Questions

Question 1
In the context of science, according to the passage, the interaction of dogmatic beliefs and critical attitude can be best described as:

✅ Correct Answer: (B) - The Chisel-Marble Analogy

Why correct: The passage states: "A critical attitude needs for its raw material, as it were, theories or beliefs which are held more or less dogmatically."

  • Dogmatic beliefs = Raw marble (the material)
  • Critical attitude = Chisel (the tool that shapes)
  • This is a transformation relationship, not destructive
  • The critical attitude is "superimposed upon" the dogmatic (works on top of it)

Why others wrong:

  • (A) & (D) suggest destruction/death - incorrect relationship
  • (C) complete transformation where raw material disappears
  • (E) growth from external input - backwards relationship
Question 2
According to the passage, the role of a dogmatic attitude or dogmatic behaviour in the development of science is:

✅ Correct Answer: (A) - Dogmatism is Critical and Important

Why correct: The passage explicitly states:

  • "This dogmatism is to some extent necessary"
  • "Science must begin with myths"
  • Critical thinking needs dogmatic beliefs as "raw material"
  • Without dogmatic conjectures, there's nothing for critical thinking to work on

Why others wrong:

  • (B) Too positive - dogmatism alone doesn't become science
  • (C) Too negative - ignores its necessary role
  • (D) Contradicts "necessary" status
  • (E) While true, misses the "critical and important" necessity
Question 3
Dogmatic behaviour, in this passage, has been associated with primitives and children. Which of the following best describes the reason why the author compares primitives with children?

✅ Correct Answer: (D) - Developmental Stages

Why correct: The passage states: "increasing experience and maturity sometimes create an attitude of caution and criticism rather than of dogmatism."

  • Primitives → Early stage of human evolution → Dogmatic
  • Children → Early stage of individual life → Dogmatic
  • Both develop critical thinking with time/experience/maturity
  • The comparison is about developmental stages, not education or civilization

Why others wrong:

  • (A) About education - too narrow
  • (B) About innocence - not in passage
  • (C) True but doesn't explain the comparison
  • (E) Judgmental language not supported
Question 4
Which of the following statements best supports the argument in the passage that a critical attitude leads to a weaker belief than a dogmatic attitude does?

✅ Correct Answer: (E) - Tentativeness = Weaker Belief

Why correct: The passage directly connects critical attitude with tentative hypotheses:

  • "A critical attitude... is indicative of a weaker belief"
  • "All laws, all theories, remain essentially tentative, or conjectural, or hypothetical"
  • "Weaker" means "held provisionally/tentatively," not worse
  • Critical attitude → questioning → tentative hypotheses

Key distinction:

  • Dogmatic = "X is true, period" (strong/fixed belief)
  • Critical = "X appears true, but open to revision" (weaker/tentative belief)
Question 5
According to the passage, which of the following statements best describes the difference between science and pseudo-science?

✅ Correct Answer: (C) - Falsification vs. Verification

Why correct: This captures Popper's core idea perfectly:

  • Dogmatic/pseudo-scientific: Seeks to verify and confirm, neglects refutations
  • Critical/scientific: Ready to test, refute, falsify theories
  • Science asks: "How can I prove this wrong?"
  • Pseudo-science asks: "How can I prove this right?"

Why others wrong:

  • (A) Misses the verification vs. falsification distinction
  • (B) Contradicts passage - scientific theories are also tentative
  • (D) Not mentioned in passage
  • (E) Directly contradicted - science begins with "criticism of myths," not "collection of observations"

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📊 Passage Analysis

Paragraph 1: The Necessity of Dogmatic Thinking

Main Idea: Humans naturally seek patterns (dogmatic thinking), which is necessary for developing theories.

Key Points:

  • We impose regularities on nature, even where none exist
  • We dismiss contradictory evidence as "background noise"
  • This dogmatism is necessary—allows theory refinement through approximation
  • Accepting defeat too easily may prevent discovering near-correct theories

Paragraph 2: Challenging Hume's Theory

Main Idea: Popper critiques Hume's belief that experience strengthens beliefs.

Key Points:

  • Dogmatic attitude = strong belief | Critical attitude = weaker belief
  • Hume's theory: Repetition → stronger beliefs in mature people
  • Reality: Dogmatism characterizes primitives/children
  • Maturity and experience often create critical attitude, not dogmatism

Paragraph 3: The Central Equation

Main Idea: Dogmatic = Pseudo-science | Critical = Science

Key Points:

  • Dogmatic seeks verification; Critical seeks falsification
  • Critical attitude = scientific | Dogmatic attitude = pseudo-scientific
  • Critical is superimposed on dogmatic (not opposed)
  • Critical needs dogmatic beliefs as "raw material"

Paragraph 4: Science Begins with Myths

Main Idea: Science starts with criticism of myths, not observations.

Key Points:

  • Science begins with myths and criticism of myths
  • NOT with observations or experiments
  • Two-layer tradition: Pass theories + critical attitude toward them
  • Theories passed as challenges to improve, not dogmas to accept

Paragraph 5: All Theories Are Tentative

Main Idea: Even our strongest theories are provisional.

Key Points:

  • Critical attitude = reasonableness and rationality
  • All theories remain tentative, conjectural, hypothetical
  • Cannot know how to modify until refuted
  • Embrace uncertainty and openness to revision

Detailed explanation of important lines and phrases from the passage:

Paragraph 1 - Key Lines
"Our propensity to look out for regularities, and to impose laws upon nature"
Meaning: Humans have a natural tendency to seek patterns everywhere.
Significance: This is the foundation of dogmatic thinking - we don't just observe patterns, we actively impose them on reality, even when they might not exist.
"events which do not yield to these attempts we are inclined to treat as a kind of 'background noise'"
Meaning: When evidence contradicts our expectations, we dismiss it as irrelevant.
Significance: This is confirmation bias in action - a key characteristic of dogmatic thinking where we ignore contradictory evidence.
"This dogmatism is to some extent necessary."
Meaning: Dogmatic thinking plays an essential role.
Significance: ★ CRITICAL LINE ★ This establishes dogmatism's positive role in science. Without initial bold conjectures (even if dogmatic), science cannot begin.
"by way of approximations: if we accept defeat too easily, we may prevent ourselves from finding that we were very nearly right"
Meaning: Theories develop iteratively, getting closer to truth over time.
Significance: Persistence (dogmatism) allows us to refine theories rather than abandoning them at first contradiction. Scientific progress is gradual.
Paragraph 2 - Key Lines
"a critical attitude, which is ready to modify its tenets, which admits doubt and demands tests, is indicative of a weaker belief"
Meaning: Critical thinking holds beliefs provisionally, not absolutely.
Significance: "Weaker" doesn't mean worse - it means flexible and tentative, open to revision. This is actually a strength of scientific thinking.
"dogmatic thinking... is characteristic of primitives and children"
Meaning: Early developmental stages show dogmatic thinking.
Significance: Links primitives (early human evolution) with children (early individual development). Both represent early stages where critical thinking hasn't yet developed.
"increasing experience and maturity sometimes create an attitude of caution and criticism rather than of dogmatism"
Meaning: With time and experience, people often become more skeptical.
Significance: This contradicts Hume's theory that experience strengthens beliefs. Instead, maturity often leads to questioning, not certainty.
Paragraph 3 - Key Lines
"the dogmatic attitude is clearly related to the tendency to verify our laws... even to the point of neglecting refutations"
Meaning: Dogmatic thinking seeks confirmation and ignores contradictions.
Significance: This is pseudo-science - looking only for evidence that supports your theory, not evidence against it.
"whereas the critical attitude is one of readiness to change them — to test them; to refute them; to falsify them, if possible"
Meaning: Scientific thinking actively tries to disprove theories.
Significance: ★ CRITICAL LINE ★ This is Popper's core idea of falsification - real science asks "How can I prove this wrong?" not "How can I prove this right?"
"the critical attitude is not so much opposed to the dogmatic attitude as super-imposed upon it"
Meaning: Critical thinking works ON TOP of dogmatic beliefs, not against them.
Significance: ★ MOST CRITICAL LINE ★ This is the chisel-marble relationship. They're not enemies - critical attitude needs dogmatic beliefs to work on, like a sculptor needs marble.
"A critical attitude needs for its raw material, as it were, theories or beliefs which are held more or less dogmatically"
Meaning: Critical thinking requires existing beliefs to examine.
Significance: You can't critique nothing. Dogmatic beliefs provide the content that critical thinking refines into science.
Paragraph 4 - Key Lines
"science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths; neither with the collection of observations, nor with the invention of experiments"
Meaning: Science starts with existing beliefs/stories, not blank observations.
Significance: ★ CRITICAL LINE ★ Contradicts common view that science starts with data collection. Instead, it starts with questioning what we already believe (myths).
"The scientific tradition is distinguished from the pre-scientific tradition in having two layers"
Meaning: Science has two components, pre-science has one.
Significance: Layer 1 = theories (both have this). Layer 2 = critical attitude toward theories (only science has this). Science teaches skepticism along with knowledge.
"The theories are passed on, not as dogmas, but rather with the challenge to discuss them and improve upon them"
Meaning: Scientific knowledge is presented as provisional and improvable.
Significance: Science invites questioning. It says "Here's what we think is true, now try to prove it wrong or make it better."
Paragraph 5 - Key Lines
"all laws, all theories, remain essentially tentative, or conjectural, or hypothetical, even when we feel unable to doubt them any longer"
Meaning: Even our strongest scientific beliefs are provisional.
Significance: ★ CRITICAL LINE ★ Nothing in science is absolutely certain. Even gravity or evolution remain "tentative" in principle - they could theoretically be disproven tomorrow.
"Before a theory has been refuted we can never know in what way it may have to be modified"
Meaning: We can't predict how theories will change.
Significance: This is why we must always test theories - we can't know in advance which parts are wrong or how to improve them. Testing reveals the path forward.

Passage Summary Table

ElementDetails
Main ThemeRelationship between dogmatic and critical thinking in scientific development
Author's StanceCritical attitude is superior but depends on dogmatic beliefs as raw material
Key PhilosopherKarl Popper (critique of David Hume)
Central ArgumentScience progresses through falsification, not verification
Key RelationshipCritical thinking is SUPERIMPOSED on dogmatic thinking (chisel on marble)
Passage TypePhilosophy of Science / Epistemology
DifficultyAdvanced (Abstract concepts, complex relationships)
ToneAnalytical, philosophical, argumentative

Paragraph Summary Table

ParaTopicMain IdeaKey Terms
1Dogmatic ThinkingDogmatism is necessary for theory developmentregularities, background noise, conjectures, approximations
2Hume's TheoryExperience may weaken, not strengthen beliefsstrong/weaker belief, primitives, children, maturity
3Science vs Pseudo-scienceCritical = scientific, Dogmatic = pseudo-scientificverify vs falsify, superimposed, raw material
4Origins of ScienceScience begins with criticism of mythsmyths, two layers, scientific tradition
5Nature of TheoriesAll theories remain tentativetentative, conjectural, hypothetical, rationality

🧠 Core Concepts from the Passage

This passage revolves around several interconnected philosophical concepts about how science works. Understanding these concepts is crucial for answering the questions correctly.

1. Falsificationism (Popper's Key Contribution)

What it is: A scientific theory must be testable and refutable. If a theory cannot be proven wrong, it's not scientific.

From the passage: "the critical attitude is one of readiness to change them — to test them; to refute them; to falsify them, if possible"

Examples to understand:

  • ✅ Falsifiable (Scientific): "All swans are white" → One black swan disproves it
  • ✅ Falsifiable (Scientific): "Water boils at 100°C at sea level" → Can be tested and potentially disproven
  • ❌ Unfalsifiable (Not Scientific): "God works in mysterious ways" → No possible evidence can disprove this
  • ❌ Unfalsifiable (Not Scientific): "Everything happens for a reason" → Too vague to test

Why it matters for CAT: Question 5 tests this concept directly - understanding that science seeks to reject theories (falsification) while pseudo-science seeks to validate theories (verification).

2. The Two-Layer Tradition

What it is: Scientific tradition has two components, while pre-scientific tradition has only one.

From the passage: "The scientific tradition is distinguished from the pre-scientific tradition in having two layers. Like the latter, it passes on its theories; but it also passes on a critical attitude towards them."

Tradition TypeLayer 1Layer 2
Pre-ScientificPass on theories as truth❌ None
ScientificPass on theories✅ Pass on critical attitude toward theories

Real example:

  • Pre-scientific: "The gods control thunder" (just accept it)
  • Scientific: "Lightning is electrical discharge" (but here's how to test it, question it, and potentially improve our understanding)

Key insight: Science doesn't just pass knowledge—it passes on skepticism about that knowledge.

3. Dogmatic vs. Critical Attitude

What it is: Two different approaches to beliefs and knowledge.

AspectDogmatic AttitudeCritical Attitude
Belief StrengthStrong, fixedWeak, tentative
Approach to EvidenceSeeks confirmationSeeks refutation
Contradictory DataIgnores it ("noise")Focuses on it (anomalies)
Development StagePrimitive, childlikeMature, experienced
Scientific TypePseudo-scientificScientific
OpennessClosed to changeOpen to revision
Role in ScienceProvides raw materialRefines into knowledge

Critical insight: Both are necessary! Dogmatic provides the initial theories; critical refines them.

4. The Chisel-Marble Relationship

What it is: The relationship between dogmatic beliefs and critical attitude.

From the passage: "the critical attitude is not so much opposed to the dogmatic attitude as super-imposed upon it" and "A critical attitude needs for its raw material... theories or beliefs which are held more or less dogmatically"

The Metaphor:

  • Dogmatic beliefs = Raw marble (the material)
  • Critical attitude = Chisel (the shaping tool)
  • Science = Sculpture (the refined product)

Key points:

  • The marble isn't destroyed—it's shaped
  • Without marble, there's nothing to sculpt
  • Without the chisel, the marble stays rough
  • The relationship is constructive, not destructive

Why it matters for CAT: This is what Question 1 tests. Understanding that critical and dogmatic work TOGETHER, not in opposition.

5. Science Begins with Myths

What it is: Popper's counterintuitive claim about how science starts.

From the passage: "science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths; neither with the collection of observations, nor with the invention of experiments"

What this means:

  • Science doesn't start with a blank slate
  • It starts with existing beliefs (myths, stories, theories)
  • Then applies critical thinking to examine those beliefs
  • The "criticism of myths" is the starting point, not raw data

Historical example: Ancient myths about thunder → questioning those myths → discovering atmospheric electricity → modern meteorology

Why it matters for CAT: This directly contradicts option (E) in Question 5, which claims science progresses by "collection of observations."

6. Tentative Nature of Scientific Knowledge

What it is: All scientific theories remain provisional, never absolutely certain.

From the passage: "all laws, all theories, remain essentially tentative, or conjectural, or hypothetical, even when we feel unable to doubt them any longer"

What "tentative" means:

  • NOT weak or unreliable
  • Means held provisionally - open to revision
  • Even gravity and evolution are "tentative" in principle
  • Could theoretically be modified tomorrow with new evidence

Connection to "weaker belief": Critical attitude → tentative hypotheses → "weaker" (flexible) belief. This is tested in Question 4.

7. Developmental Stages (Primitives & Children)

What it is: The comparison between early human evolution and early individual development.

From the passage: "dogmatic thinking... is characteristic of primitives and children; and increasing experience and maturity sometimes create an attitude of caution and criticism"

The parallel:

Early StageMature Stage
Human SpeciesPrimitives (dogmatic)Developed societies (critical)
Individual LifeChildren (dogmatic)Adults (critical)

Key insight: The comparison is about developmental stages, not education, intelligence, or civilization.

Why it matters for CAT: This is what Question 3 tests. The answer is about stages of development, not other factors.

8. Verification vs. Falsification

What it is: The fundamental difference between pseudo-science and science.

CharacteristicPseudo-Science (Dogmatic)Science (Critical)
GoalVerify and confirmTest and potentially falsify
Question Asked"How can I prove this RIGHT?""How can I prove this WRONG?"
Evidence ApproachSeek supporting evidenceSeek contradictory evidence
RefutationsNeglect or dismissFocus on and analyze
Theory StatusProven truthTentative hypothesis

From the passage: "the dogmatic attitude is clearly related to the tendency to verify our laws... even to the point of neglecting refutations, whereas the critical attitude is one of readiness to change them — to test them; to refute them; to falsify them"

Real-world example:

  • Astrology (pseudo-science): Makes vague predictions, cherry-picks supporting evidence, ignores misses
  • Astronomy (science): Makes precise predictions, actively seeks anomalies, revises theories when wrong

📚 Vocabulary Mastery

📋 Quick Revision Table

WordPart of SpeechOne-Line MeaningMemory Trick
PropensityNounNatural tendency or inclinationPro-pensity: you're "pro" doing something
DogmaticAdjectiveUnwilling to consider other viewsLike a DOG guarding its beliefs
ConjectureNounOpinion based on incomplete infoCON-jecture: opinion you're not CONfident about
TenetNounA principle or beliefTEN-et: one of your top TEN beliefs
RefutationNounProving something wrongRE-fute: you RE-move the fuse (disprove)
FalsifyVerbProve falseFALSE-ify: make something FALSE
TentativeAdjectiveNot certain; provisionalTENT-ative: temporary like a TENT
SchemaNounMental framework or modelSCHEME-a: a mental SCHEME or plan

✏️ Vocabulary Quiz - Fill in the Blanks

Choose the correct word for each sentence:

Scientists should avoid being too _______ and remain open to new evidence.
dogmatic
tentative
refutation
All scientific theories must be _______, meaning they can be proven wrong.
conjecture
falsifiable
propensity
She has a _______ for solving complex mathematical problems.
tenet
propensity
schema
The theory remains _______ until more research is conducted.
tentative
dogmatic
refutation
His _______ was proven wrong when new data emerged.
conjecture
falsify
tenet
Freedom of expression is a core _______ of liberal democracy.
schema
tenet
propensity
Mental _______ help us organize our understanding of the world.
schemata
tenets
conjectures
The study provided convincing _______ of the hypothesis.
dogmatic
refutation
propensity
🎙️

Passage Analysis Podcast

Deep dive into Popper's philosophy with detailed passage breakdown

📌 Topics Covered:
• Falsificationism explained
• Hume vs. Popper debate
• Scientific method deep dive
• Real-world applications
• CAT exam strategies

💬 Discuss This Podcast

Have questions about the podcast? Want to dive deeper into any topic covered? Found the discussion on falsificationism interesting and want to explore more examples?

Great discussion topics:

  • Request clarification on any concept from the podcast
  • Share your thoughts on the examples discussed
  • Ask for additional real-world applications
  • Discuss how to apply these ideas in CAT preparation
💬 Discuss Podcast with Prashant Sir

💬 Discussion & Support

🤔 Thought-Provoking Discussion Prompt

"If all scientific theories remain tentative and can potentially be disproven, how can we ever claim to 'know' anything with certainty? Does this mean science is just another belief system, no better than myths or pseudo-science? Or is there something fundamentally different about scientific knowledge even when it's provisional?"

This dilemma touches on:

  • The nature of knowledge and certainty
  • The difference between "tentative" and "unreliable"
  • Whether science needs absolute truth to be valuable
  • How we make decisions based on provisional knowledge
💬 Discuss with Prashant Sir on WhatsApp

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💡 More Discussion Topics to Explore

  1. Real-world Application: How does Popper's falsificationism apply to modern controversies like climate change denial or vaccine skepticism?
  2. Historical Context: Why was Popper's distinction between science and pseudo-science important in the early 20th century?
  3. CAT Strategy: How can understanding the passage structure help you answer similar philosophy passages faster?
  4. Critical Thinking: Can you think of examples from your own life where dogmatic thinking helped or hindered you?
  5. Deeper Analysis: Is there a point where critical thinking becomes excessive skepticism? Where's the balance?

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CAT 2006 Reading Comprehension: Karl Popper Passage

Complete analysis, solutions & strategies for CAT 2006 RC questions on Philosophy of Science

About This CAT 2006 RC Passage

This CAT 2006 Reading Comprehension passage on Karl Popper's philosophy of science is one of the most challenging passages from the CAT 2006 question paper. Originally appearing as Questions 31-35 in the CAT 2006 exam, this RC passage tests your understanding of complex philosophical concepts including falsificationism, dogmatic vs. critical thinking, and the scientific method.

Our comprehensive guide provides detailed solutions, line-by-line analysis, and expert strategies to help you master similar CAT Reading Comprehension passages on philosophy, science, and abstract reasoning.

📅

Exam Year

CAT 2006

📝

Question Numbers

Questions 31-35 (Original)

🎯

Difficulty Level

Advanced - Philosophy & Science

⏱️

Recommended Time

12-15 minutes (5 questions)

What You'll Master with This CAT 2006 RC Passage

1

Philosophy RC Strategy

Learn proven techniques to tackle abstract philosophical passages that frequently appear in CAT exams, including CAT 2006, 2007, 2008, and recent years.

2

Critical Reasoning Skills

Understand how to identify main ideas, author's arguments, and logical relationships in complex CAT Reading Comprehension passages.

3

Scientific Method Understanding

Master Karl Popper's falsificationism and how science vs. pseudo-science distinctions are tested in CAT RC questions.

4

Vocabulary Building

Learn 8 high-frequency CAT vocabulary words: propensity, dogmatic, conjecture, tenet, refutation, falsify, tentative, schema.

Why This CAT 2006 Passage is Essential for Your Preparation

📈

High Difficulty Benchmark

This CAT 2006 RC passage represents the advanced difficulty level you should aim to master. Philosophy and science passages with abstract concepts are common in CAT exams and often determine your VARC percentile.

🎯

Recurring Themes

Karl Popper's ideas on falsificationism, scientific method, and critical thinking have appeared in multiple CAT papers. Understanding this passage prepares you for similar themes in future CAT exams.

💡

Question Pattern Analysis

The 5 questions from this CAT 2006 passage test inference, main idea identification, analogical reasoning, and author's tone - all critical skills for scoring 99+ percentile in CAT VARC.

Time Management Practice

Learning to tackle this challenging passage efficiently (12-15 minutes for 5 questions) will significantly improve your CAT time management skills and overall VARC section strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions - CAT 2006 RC

What was the difficulty level of CAT 2006 Reading Comprehension section?

The CAT 2006 Reading Comprehension section was considered moderately difficult to difficult, with passages covering diverse topics including philosophy, science, economics, and social issues. This Karl Popper passage on philosophy of science was one of the more challenging passages, testing abstract reasoning and critical thinking skills.

How many RC passages were in CAT 2006?

CAT 2006 featured multiple Reading Comprehension passages in the Verbal Ability section. The exam pattern included passages of varying lengths (400-800 words) with 4-6 questions each. This Karl Popper passage contained 5 questions (originally numbered 31-35).

What is Karl Popper's falsificationism and why is it important for CAT?

Falsificationism is Karl Popper's principle that scientific theories must be testable and potentially provable wrong. For CAT preparation, understanding such philosophical concepts helps you tackle abstract RC passages. This concept appears in various forms across CAT papers - learning to analyze it improves your comprehension of complex argumentative texts.

How should I approach philosophy-based CAT RC passages?

To master philosophy RC passages in CAT:

  • Focus on the main argument and supporting points
  • Identify key relationships between concepts
  • Pay attention to transition words and logical flow
  • Practice with previous year CAT passages like this CAT 2006 example
  • Build vocabulary for abstract philosophical terms

Are previous year CAT papers like CAT 2006 still relevant for current CAT preparation?

Yes, absolutely! While the CAT exam pattern has evolved, the core skills tested in Reading Comprehension remain consistent. CAT 2006 passages like this Karl Popper text are excellent for:

  • Understanding question types and patterns
  • Building comprehension speed and accuracy
  • Learning to handle complex, abstract content
  • Developing time management strategies

Many themes from CAT 2006 reappear in modified forms in recent CAT exams.

What percentile can I expect if I master passages like this CAT 2006 RC?

If you can consistently solve difficult passages like this CAT 2006 philosophy RC with 80%+ accuracy in recommended time, you're on track for a 95+ percentile in CAT VARC. Mastering 5-6 such advanced passages typically indicates readiness for 99+ percentile performance, provided you maintain similar accuracy across all difficulty levels.

More CAT Reading Comprehension Resources

📚 Previous Year CAT Papers

  • CAT 2005 RC passages
  • CAT 2007 RC passages
  • CAT 2008 RC passages
  • CAT 2010-2023 papers

🎯 Topic-wise RC Practice

  • Philosophy RC passages
  • Science & Technology RC
  • Economics RC passages
  • Social Issues RC

💡 CAT Preparation Tips

  • RC time management strategies
  • VARC section preparation guide
  • CAT vocabulary building
  • Mock test analysis
Prashant Sir - CAT VARC Expert

Curated by Prashant Sir

CAT VARC Expert | 99.9%ile Scorer

With 15+ years of experience coaching CAT aspirants, Prashant Sir has helped thousands of students achieve 95+ percentile in VARC. This detailed analysis of the CAT 2006 Karl Popper passage includes insights from his proven methodology for tackling difficult philosophy RC passages.

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