"The bias for (i) ______ has crept into the current school of physics: superstring theory provides such an all-encompassing— yet tidy— packaging of current streams of thought— quantum physics and Einstein’s theory of relativity, among them— that many scientists have been beguiled by the simplicity of the theory into blithely discounting the paucity of data."

Meaning- Bias for simplicity and elegance has crept into the current school. Key phrase is that scientists have been captivated by the simplicity and so have callously discounted the shortage of data.

A- Thoroughness means great attention to detail. Illogical.
B- Inconsistency means unpredictability. Illogical.
C- Elegance means simplicity which works well in context.
D- Aesthetics means set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty. Major theme trap but definition wise doesn't work.
E- Artifice means trickery and deceit. Irrelevant.

Also the spelling of elegance in option C is incorrect. Kindly change.

Thanks!

One of the first words to jump out is “all-encompassing.” That alone biases us toward us (A). However, the rest of the sentence isn’t just about thoroughness. The “yet tidy” is an important idea that runs throughout the sentence: the idea of “simplicity of theory.” So the bias is toward something that seems simple, yet all-encompassing. The word elegance (C) doesn’t just connote fine evening attire. A very different definition relates to the scientific method. When a theory is able to account for some phenomenon in a simple yet compelling manner, it’s said to be “elegant.” One example of elegance in theories is evolution. Whether or not it’s consistent with a particular person’s beliefs, evolution provides a simple way of explaining how two things as different as a whale and a horse can have arisen from some very different ancestor: the process of natural selection. Choice (B) doesn’t work because nowhere in the sentence is there a clear indication of an inconsistency. True, the theory is simple and all-encompassing, and it also has very little data. Yet a consistent explanation can be simple and all-encompassing and not be based on much data. The word in choice (D) means “relating to the nature of beauty.” There’s no mention of the beauty of the theory but rather its simplicity. (E) artifice means “trickery.” There’s no context to support this interpretation.