Question
Which question cannot be answered through empirical evidence? A. Should farmers use pesticides if consumers prefer vegetables grown without pesticides? B. Do vegetables that people purchase have significant amounts of pesticides on them? C. How does the use of pesticides affect the amounts of nutrients in vegetables? D. How do pesticides break down in the environment over time?
Answer
4.3
(194 Votes)
May
Elite · Tutor for 8 years
Answer
A
Explanation
This question is about distinguishing between empirical and normative questions. Empirical questions are those that can be answered through observation and factual information, they are descriptive. On the other hand, normative questions are about what should be done and involve value judgments, they are prescriptive. Option A is a normative question because it involves a value-based decision: Should farmers use pesticides even if consumers prefer vegetables grown without them? This is an ethical question and requires one to draw upon personal or societal values to answer. It cannot be answered simply with empirical evidence. Option B, C, and D are empirical questions because they are seeking factual information that can be proven or disproven with data or empirical evidence. They're asking for descriptions about the presence of pesticides on purchased vegetables, how pesticides affect the nutrient content of vegetables, and how pesticides break down in the environment.