An Onward Journey to Knowledge

[keannu]

Source : Korean 12 graders' mock test in September, 24
The discovery that man’s knowledge is not, and never has been, perfectly accurate has had a humbling and perhaps a calming effect upon the soul of modern man. The nineteenth century, as we have observed, was the last to believe that the world, as a whole as well as in its parts, could ever be perfectly known. We realize now that this is, and always was, impossible. We know within limits, not absolutely, even if the limits can usually be adjusted to satisfy our needs. Curiously, from this new level of uncertainty even greater goals emerge and appear to be attainable. Even if we cannot know the world with absolute precision, we can still control it. Even our inherently incomplete knowledge seems to work as powerfully as ever. In short, we may never know precisely how high is the highest mountain, but we continue to be certain that we can get to the top nevertheless.

Question : What is the proper title of this passage?

① Summits Yet to Be Reached: An Onward Journey to Knowledge
② Over the Mountain: A Single But Giant Step to Success
③ Integrating Parts into a Whole: The Road to Perfection
④ How to Live Together in an Age of Uncertainty
⑤ The Two Faces of a Knowledge-Based Society
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The answer is 1, but I think An Onward Journey to Knowledge might be out of focus and doesn't reflect the theme of the passage.
Wouldn't it be better to say "We still can control the world with Incomplete knowledge"? What do you think?

 

[GoesStation]

What is the question the answers are supposed to answer?

 

[Tarheel]

I don't think we can control the world no matter how much we know.

 

[keannu]

What is the question the answers are supposed to answer?

Sorry, I inserted the question as in the above #1.

 

[Tarheel]

Two things. One, I think its current title is perfectly fine. Two, I am sure that people who lived during the nineteenth century had beliefs, but the century itself did not.

 

[jutfrank]

I have the same issue as you, keannu.

The phrase an onward journey to knowledge carries an implication that absolute knowledge is attainable, which is in contrast to the content of the passage.

 

[Tarheel]

The writer also seems to think that perfection is attainable and that it's not attainable. In other words, that person holds two contradictory beliefs at the same time. (No wonder it's confusing!)

 

[probus]

Since this is a multiple-choice quiz question we have to choose the best answer, or rather the least bad answer. That choice is option 1, although it has several defects.

I suppose you meant "twelfth graders". But what is "September, 24" intended to mean?

 

[Tarheel]

If I was taking a test I would skip this one.


If I was the person deciding what questions to use on a test I would not use this one, because it's too damn confusing.. (Think of how much time we've spent on it.)

 

[Tdol]

It's an odd question, but I'd choose #1. Do they have to use man all the time?

 

[GoesStation]

It's an odd question, but I'd choose #1. Do they have to use man all the time?

That would have been the natural choice if the text was written before the 1970s.

 

[keannu]

Since this is a multiple-choice quiz question we have to choose the best answer, or rather the least bad answer. That choice is option 1, although it has several defects.

I suppose you meant "twelfth graders". But what is "September, 24" intended to mean?

Those are the test month and the question number respectively.