Pick the most appropriate word to fill (ii) in the given passage :

To fill gap (ii) in the passage, the most appropriate word is "or". Option Explanation Option 1: and Suggests both together - doesn't fit the "whether... or..." structure. Option 2: or Correct - fits the contrast: "whether through... or by..." Option 3: along "Along by" is incorrect - not a valid phrase. Option 4: instead Doesn't fit grammatically - "whether through... instead by..." is incorrect. The passage is discussing how economists use maximization in their analysis, and the phrase "whether through explicit reasoning ___ by implicit presumption" requires a word that indicates alternatives, which is precisely what "or" does.