There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit.
Paragraph: The experience of reading philosophy is often disquieting. When reading philosophy, the values around which one has heretofore organised one's life may come to look provincial, flatly wrong, or even evil ___ (1) ___ . When beliefs previously held as truths are rendered implausible, new beliefs, values, and ways of living may be required ___ (2) ___ . What's worse, philosophers admonish each other to remain unsutured until such time as a defensible new answer is revealed or constructed. Sometimes philosophical writing is even strictly critical in that it does not even attempt to provide an alternative after tearing down a cultural or conceptual citadel ___ (3) ___ . The reader of philosophy must be prepared for the possibility of this experience. While reading philosophy can help one clarify one's values, and even make one self-conscious for the first time of the fact that there are good reasons for believing what one believes, it can also generate unremediated doubt that is difficult to live with ___ (4) ___ .
Sentence: This philosophical cut at one's core beliefs, values, and way of life is difficult enough.
There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit.
Paragraph: The experience of reading philosophy is often disquieting. When reading philosophy, the values around which one has heretofore organised one's life may come to look provincial, flatly wrong, or even evil ___ (1) ___ . When beliefs previously held as truths are rendered implausible, new beliefs, values, and ways of living may be required ___ (2) ___ . What's worse, philosophers admonish each other to remain unsutured until such time as a defensible new answer is revealed or constructed. Sometimes philosophical writing is even strictly critical in that it does not even attempt to provide an alternative after tearing down a cultural or conceptual citadel ___ (3) ___ . The reader of philosophy must be prepared for the possibility of this experience. While reading philosophy can help one clarify one's values, and even make one self-conscious for the first time of the fact that there are good reasons for believing what one believes, it can also generate unremediated doubt that is difficult to live with ___ (4) ___ .
Sentence: This philosophical cut at one's core beliefs, values, and way of life is difficult enough.
Solution
The missing sentence talks about a "philosophical cut" being "difficult enough" -> this suggests it's summarizing or emphasizing difficulty already mentioned.
From passage: "When beliefs previously held as truths are rendered implausible, new beliefs, values, and ways of living may be required"
Key clue: The word "This" in our sentence points backward -> it refers to something already described. Need to find what "this philosophical cut" refers to.
Process: Look at each spot -> does the sentence make sense flowing from what's before it?
π Option 1 -> partial-truth -> comes after values looking "wrong or evil" but the word "This" doesn't have a clear reference to a "cut" yet
π’ Option 2 -> perfect fit -> follows the description of beliefs being "rendered implausible" and needing new ones. The word "This" clearly refers to this challenging process of philosophical questioning
π Option 3 -> context-shift -> comes after talking about critical writing that tears down without alternatives. While related, "This" doesn't flow as naturally from the tearing down idea
π΄ Option 4 -> scope-error -> comes after describing both positive and negative effects. The sentence emphasizes difficulty, but here we're already moving to a balanced conclusion about philosophy's mixed effects
The sentence fits best after describing how beliefs become implausible and new ones are needed -> that's exactly the "philosophical cut" being referenced.