The historical view of the world was more irrational in the past, and the emergence of science saw a greater openness to argument. However, the generational story does not explain the transition from one theory to another in science. Unlike the fashion industry, where trends are arbitrarily invented, the adoption of scientific theories is not arbitrary. People adopt a theory for a reason, even if the theory is false. This adoption is driven by the theory's satisfaction to the adopters, and sometimes irrationality plays a role. However, this is not an accurate depiction of science, as there are concrete reasons why theories are adopted.
Popper’s Impact 0:00
Creative Guesses 2:18
Experiments, Demonstrations, and Measurements 4:25
Taking Theories Seriously 10:25
New Paradigms 15:58
Foundations of Science 23:30
The Enlightenment 25:39
Misinformation 29:45
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