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pnwmom

(110,253 posts)

24. The biggest advances in science tend to come from scientists

Mon Jan 6, 2014, 06:25 AM

Jan 2014

who can make those leaps -- leaps from one field of science to another, for example. They can make mental connections that other people don't see -- at first. Later, after all the research is done, it might seem very obvious.

This is why most scientific breakthroughs either come from young scientists who are not too deeply entrenched in the old models, or from researchers with a background in other fields. The closed-minded scientists in a field work inside the old, entrenched models. They can make incremental progress, but they usually aren't the ones who make substantial breakthroughs.

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In my experience, you really should have a closed mind to be an effective scientist [View all] Recursion Jan 2014 OP

Au contraire, progress in science is not slow and collaborative. geek tragedy Jan 2014 #1

Thank you. I keep thinking of that book over and over pnwmom Jan 2014 #17

See also Max Planck FarCenter Jan 2014 #49

Maybe, but neither are scientific discoveries generally"accidental." yellowcanine Jan 2014 #54

it's generally not an either/or, but rather a combination of the two-- geek tragedy Jan 2014 #55

Good post... SidDithers Jan 2014 #2

Discernment is probably what you are looking for, not closed minds, the ones with closed minds... Humanist_Activist Jan 2014 #3

It takes imagination to introduce a hypothesis 1000words Jan 2014 #4

The hypothesis is actually based off evidence obtained through research Scootaloo Jan 2014 #8

Fair enough 1000words Jan 2014 #9

Oh certainly, one must have imagination to come up with a question Scootaloo Jan 2014 #10

Indeed 1000words Jan 2014 #11

Pay them enough they will study anything RobertEarl Jan 2014 #5

If your thesis is that money can lead to bad science Recursion Jan 2014 #6

Which is why science has peer review. gcomeau Jan 2014 #51

True RobertEarl Jan 2014 #63

Easier way of saying it; a good scientist is a hard skeptic Scootaloo Jan 2014 #7

Not closed, but a sifter... JHB Jan 2014 #12

Skepticism is not the same thing as being opinionated. Far from it. nt bemildred Jan 2014 #13

"Skepticism" is just another term for "most parsimonious" explanation. yellowcanine Jan 2014 #62

No, skepticism is doubt. "Most parsimonious" is Occam's Razor. bemildred Jan 2014 #64

Semantics, imo. yellowcanine Jan 2014 #66

I must disagree. The meanings are distinct, and it's a good, useful distinction. bemildred Jan 2014 #67

But this picture isn't sexy so it will never "sell"... Locut0s Jan 2014 #14

I have a slightly different take on this... Locut0s Jan 2014 #15

Well said Recursion Jan 2014 #16

I agree with you completely about scientists and how they think. pnwmom Jan 2014 #20

Well yes, I'll give you that. :P Locut0s Jan 2014 #21

And some of their critics rely on the accusation of dogmatism far more than is truly applicable. nt eqfan592 Jan 2014 #31

Top scientists are creative people who are open to new ideas. pnwmom Jan 2014 #18

What does "top scientists" mean? Recursion Jan 2014 #19

Members of the National Academy of Science, for example. pnwmom Jan 2014 #22

Actually I don't think many would have an issue with it... Locut0s Jan 2014 #23

The biggest advances in science tend to come from scientists pnwmom Jan 2014 #24

Those aren't the kind of leaps that Recursion or I are saying scientists are closed to.... Locut0s Jan 2014 #25

Bingo. nt eqfan592 Jan 2014 #32

Woo That Some Should Consider cantbeserious Jan 2014 #26

Nope. Just BS HERVEPA Jan 2014 #27

Close Minded - We Now Know Of The Things You Are Made cantbeserious Jan 2014 #28

Yes, I am made of a logical, scientific mind that calls BS BS. HERVEPA Jan 2014 #29

Yes - That Intransigence May Forever Keep One In The Dark cantbeserious Jan 2014 #30

woo - not woo - woo - not woo woo - not woo HERVEPA Jan 2014 #36

Good To Know That Your Objectivity Quickly Devolves To Rants cantbeserious Jan 2014 #38

when you have some spare time, you might want to look up definition of rant. HERVEPA Jan 2014 #40

When You Have Some Time You Might Reflect On Non Responsive Posts cantbeserious Jan 2014 #41

eom HERVEPA Jan 2014 #42

Have you read either? lumberjack_jeff Jan 2014 #45

Yes - Both - The Physicists Wrote To Directly Discuss Woo cantbeserious Jan 2014 #59

If only there were solid evidence to support it, then maybe. eqfan592 Jan 2014 #33

Clear That One Has Hastily Made Statements Without Serious Reflection cantbeserious Jan 2014 #34

blah blah blah blah blah bullshit blah blah blah eqfan592 Jan 2014 #35

eom eom eom eom eom eom eom HERVEPA Jan 2014 #37

Rather Childish - Objectivity Must De Optional For The Rational These Days cantbeserious Jan 2014 #39

That has nothing to do with science- nt Progressive dog Jan 2014 #56

Yes, and the most important part of a hypothesis is that it can be falsified bhikkhu Jan 2014 #43

Einstein went to his grave believing that quantum physics was woo. n/t lumberjack_jeff Jan 2014 #44

That's not exactly true, since Einstein received the Nobel Prize for one of the earliest struggle4progress Jan 2014 #47

Thanks, I wasn't clear. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2014 #50

No he did not. gcomeau Jan 2014 #57

That's a big simplification of Einstein's thinking, Progressive dog Jan 2014 #61

It's not an oversimplification to say he was deeply ambivalent about the implications... lumberjack_jeff Jan 2014 #68

Woo is not part of main stream physics Progressive dog Jan 2014 #69

Lorentz's local-time transformation predates Einstein's special relativity by only about a decade struggle4progress Jan 2014 #46

not at all. a very open mind but a mind determined to find truths La Lioness Priyanka Jan 2014 #48

There is less evidence intelligent alien life than evidence for a spirit realm. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2014 #52

Because of that attitude, 'medical science' claimed gay people were diseased Bluenorthwest Jan 2014 #53

Read this Bluenorthwest Jan 2014 #58

Not 'closed', but rigorous, disciplined, logical and evidence based on point Jan 2014 #60

Based on your subjective "experience," eh? villager Jan 2014 #65