The authors discuss different scientists in the last two sentences of the passage primarily to A. explain why some sciences have advanced further than others

B. correct a misconception about the nature of scientific rationality

C. underscore that all scientific thought ultimately rests on observation

D. resolve an apparent contradiction between empiricism and experimentalism

E. prove that their definition of science accurately represents the work of past scientists

B. correct a misconception about the nature of scientific rationality

Explanation:

Answer B

Correct. The final paragraph focuses on the role of mathematics in the sciences, first noting that people often “erroneously” believe that the “status” of a scientific field directly depends on how much mathematics can be applied to the field. In that context the authors first concede that mathematics has been the engine of some scientific advancements, such as the work of Isaac Newton, but then point out that the “great scientific work” of Pasteur, Darwin, and Pavlov “used little or no mathematics.” As a whole, the discussion of scientists thus serves to correct the erroneous belief that mathematics is essential for advancing a science.