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He didn't mean his own death, necessarily Let's consider these claims: - science progresses via funerals of all scientists - science progresses via funerals
by curi 19y ago
He didn't mean his own death, necessarily
Let's consider these claims:
- science progresses via funerals of all scientists
- science progresses via funerals of Planck's ideological opponents
Only the first one can pass for a serious theory of scientific progress. But only the second one gets to exclude his own death.
- iamwil 19y agoIn reality, the first is true, even for Planck. He'd be a fool not to realize it too. I didn't mean to say Planck's right forever. Phrased another way, I don't think his point in saying how science progresses by funerals is to point to his own death. It was to highlight the misconception that most people have that current science theories come to prominence in science because the revolutionaries changed the minds of the old guard through proofs and experimentation. Rather, proof and experimentation changed the minds of young revolutionaries, and only when old guards die off, the revolutionaries rise to take their place and make prominent the new theory.