Political scientist: Efforts to create a more egalitarian society are ...
(A) undermining a view by showing that its general acceptance would lead to undesirable consequences:
This option suggests that the argument undermines a view by demonstrating that if the view were widely accepted, it would result in negative outcomes. However, the argument does not present an undesirable consequence of accepting the opposing view. Instead, it challenges the assumption that equality would lead to uniformity and blandness.
(B) rebutting an objection by attacking the assumption on which it is said to be based:
This option aligns closely with the reasoning in the passage. The argument addresses an objection raised against efforts to create a more egalitarian society by attacking the assumption that equality necessitates uniformity. It counters this assumption by arguing that promoting complementary human interests can enhance diversity and achieve greater equality.
(C) attacking a view by claiming that those who propose it are motivated only by self-interest:
This option suggests that the argument attacks a view by asserting that its proponents are motivated solely by self-interest. However, the passage does not make any claims about the motivations of those who hold the opposing view. It focuses on challenging the assumption about equality and uniformity.
(D) claiming that whatever is true of a group must be true of each of the members of the group:
This option suggests that the argument asserts that whatever is true of a group applies to each individual within that group. However, the passage does not make a claim about group characteristics or generalize from a group to its individual members. It primarily focuses on challenging the assumption about equality and diversity.
(E) undermining an apparent counterexample to a universal claim:
This option suggests that the argument undermines a counterexample that challenges a universal claim. However, the passage does not present a counterexample or engage in discussions of universal claims. It primarily addresses an objection and challenges the assumption about equality and uniformity.
Based on the explanations above, option (B) is the most accurate representation of the political scientist's argument in the passage.