IMO here the author trying to convene that the individual's opinions are not infallible. Individuals tend to make mistakes, so we dont need to take those opinion as a sacred cow(An idiom for something that cannot be questioned). Hence we need to find a synonym similar to "makes mistake".
Fallible properly fits the place, but i am skeptical about chimerical
Carcass or Can anyone please explain?

Guys always try to simplify the question and carve out the real gist of the problem. The real essence of the meaning of the question.

"Peer-review is a vital part of the scientific community. However, thinking that it is perfect if fallacious or a chimera (a chimera is an animal double-made of different animals. You say that a goal is a chimera when it is unachievable).

So D and E are the two correct answer.

Hope this helps.

PS: under this light, we just launched a new project: how to tackle every type of question under quant. Soon, also, verbal.

https://gre.myprepclub.com/forum/gre-quant ... tml#p18412

Chimerical and fallible

stupid for idea
stupid for person
therefore choice A can be used better than choice D

"Peer-review is a vital part of the scientific community. However, thinking that it is perfect is fallacious or a chimera (wildly fanciful, highly unrealistic).

So D and E are the two correct answer.

Can You Please How they are Synonyms ?

Let's break down the sentence to understand the context and the meaning required for the blank:
- "Peer-reviewed journals are a sacred cow of most scientific rationalists, but studies have shown that the premise of impartiality is $\qquad$ , as results tend to be colored by the personal proclivities and suppositions of the experimenters."
- "Sacred cow": Something that is uncritically respected or immune from criticism. This implies that scientific rationalists hold peer-reviewed journals in very high regard, likely believing in their inherent fairness or objectivity.
- "but studies have shown that the premise of impartiality is $\qquad$ ": The "but" signals a contrast. The studies contradict the belief in the journals' impartiality. Therefore, the blank needs a word that describes something that is not impartial, or that is flawed in its claim of impartiality.
- "as results tend to be colored by the personal proclivities and suppositions of the experimenters.": This phrase explains why the premise of impartiality is flawed. "Colored by personal proclivities and suppositions" means biased, influenced by personal preferences and assumptions.

Therefore, the blank needs words that describe something as flawed, illusory, or subject to error, especially in its claim of impartiality.

Let's evaluate the given options:
- inane: Silly; stupid. While a flawed premise might seem silly, "inane" doesn't directly address the impartiality aspect.
- prejudicial: Harmful to someone or something; causing prejudice; detrimental. This relates to bias, but "prejudicial" usually describes an action or effect that causes bias or harm, rather than the premise itself being inherently flawed in its claim of impartiality.
- fatuous: Silly and pointless. Similar to "inane," it doesn't directly target the impartiality.
- chimerical: (Of a plan or idea) hoped for but impossible to achieve; illusory. This fits well. If impartiality is "chimerical," it means it's an illusion or an impossible ideal, which aligns with the idea that results are always colored by personal biases.
- fallible: Capable of making mistakes or being erroneous. If the premise of impartiality is "fallible," it means it's prone to error or not always true, which directly supports the idea that results are "colored" by personal biases. This is a very strong fit.
- vexing: Causing annoyance, frustration, or worry. While the situation might be vexing, the premise itself isn't "vexing"; it's flawed in its claim of impartiality.

Conclusion:
The phrase "results tend to be colored by the personal proclivities and suppositions of the experimenters" directly supports the idea that the premise of impartiality is flawed, illusory, or prone to error. Both "chimerical" (illusory, impossible to achieve) and "fallible" (prone to error, not always true) accurately describe a premise of impartiality that is undermined by human bias.

The final answer is chimerical, fallible.