CAT 2024 - Slot 2 Varc Question 8

The first paragraph discusses how technological or industrial advances are often accompanied by unintended consequences or secondary effects, which may not be fully understood or predictable at the time of the invention. It gives the example of the printing press, which led to unexpected developments such as the creation of spectacles, and later, the telescope and microscope. This is well captured in Option b.
Option A: While some secondary effects may be beneficial, the focus of the paragraph is more on the unpredictability and far-reaching nature of these effects, rather than their inherent benefit.
Option C: The paragraph doesn't advocate judging inventions by their secondary effects. Instead, it mentions that these effects are unpredictable and sometimes surprising. The main point is their unpredictability, not how to judge an invention.
Option D: The paragraph does not suggest that the impact of a technological advance should be evaluated by the boost its secondary effects give to generating further technological advances.
Hence, option b is the correct answer.