Question

In the early twentieth century, the polymath Jagadish Chandra Bose proposed that electrical signaling mechanisms in plants were fundamentally analogous to nerve conduction in animals, challenging the prevailing physiological paradigm that categorized plant responses as mere slow, mechanical turgor shifts. Bose devised sensitive instruments, such as the crescograph, to measure sub-micrometer growth variations and electrical potential changes in plant tissues subjected to mechanical, chemical, or electrical stimuli. While orthodox Western biophysicists initially rejected his assertions as teleological—attributing animal-like perceptual agency to vegetation—Bose’s measurements were meticulously empirical. Subsequent re-evaluations suggest that the skepticism of his contemporaries stemmed less from flaws in his instrumentation than from a deep-seated ontological commitment: the Cartesian dichotomy separating sensation-capable fauna from passive flora. Consequently, by framing plant excitation through the lens of unified biological responsiveness, Bose was not merely reporting physical data; he was implicitly challenging the rigid taxonomic boundaries that structured Edwardian biophysical discourse.

Which of the following can be inferred from the passage regarding Western biophysicists’ initial response to Bose’s work? Consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply.