A Series Of Funerals

February 28, 2015 by kmabarrett

Science advances by discovering new things and developing new ideas. Few truly new ideas are developed without abandoning old ones first. As theoretical physicist Max Planck (1858–1947) noted, “A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.” In other words, science advances by a series of funerals.

— John Brockman
From his book: “This Idea Must Die: Scientific Theories That Are Blocking Progress “

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On This Day In:
2022	One Link In The Chain
2021	Life Measures
	First Thing Every Morning
2020	Like #45 And Many Of His Supporters
(Leap Year 29th)	With Some Epic Scenery Along The Way
2019	Creative Prayer Time
	ADF: Day 9:5
2018	#DumbDonald: Start With Hearing What You Don’t Want Said
2017	The Press Is NOT The Enemy
2016	It Ain’t Easy
(Leap Year 29th)	Or Try To, Anyway…
(Leap Year 29th)	Circles Within Circles
2015	A Series Of Funerals
2014	And Your Point Is?
2013	Infinitely Care
2012	In My Room
(Leap Year 29th)	Stingray – TV Series Review (This is my most popular post since starting my blog – hands down! It still draws hits almost every week. The hits seem to come mostly from Central Europe. I guess the show must be in syndication there. // 2020 update: While this is still my all-time, most popular post, it is no longer being viewed every week – or even every month. I guess the show is no longer in syndication.)
(Leap Year 29th)	A Single Thread
2011	Lyrical Mixture
	Teaching = Translating

Posted in Quotes, Science and Learning | Tagged Funerals, John Brockman, Max Planck, New Ideas, Quotes, Science, This Idea Must Die, Truth | 4 Comments

4 Responses

on February 28, 2015 at 7:38 am | Reply Marie Hunter Atwood

How strange, Kevin, that someone expressed this very thought to me in a conversation last night! I had never considered the subject in just this way, but can see a lot of truth in it. Biblically, for instance with the Israelites, their responses to God often appeared to be by the decade. Rebel, repent, obey, repeated over and over; sometimes for 100 year periods of time. These were national responses. Makes me wonder where we are as a nation, but I think I know the answer…definitely in rebellion.
- on March 1, 2015 at 6:55 pm | Reply kmabarrett
  
  Hi Marie,
  Welcome back! It’s been awhile since you’ve dropped by and commented.
  
  Sometimes I think there is a cosmic connection to coincidence myself. Perhaps one thing is brought to our attention and then we start noticing it in other common places too.
  
  I think the concept of time (as used in the Bible) is mostly metaphor. Some things happen “quickly” to express power (creation in seven days) and some are slower to express “forms” of punishment. For example, being lost and wandering in the desert for forty years is not (in my opinion) an actual measure of duration. It is meant to express God did not want any of the offending generation of sinners / “offenders” to see the promised land. To ensure this, He kept his people out for the equivalent of two full generations. Life was much more difficult in those days and it was very rare for anyone to live past 35 years of age. Not because we were not physically able to, but because we were just as subject to all the ills we are now, but without any of the modern medicine to save us. Human life expectancy has not increased because we have evolved to live longer. It has increased because of better access to clean water and more food and better health care (if not better life style).
  
  In any case, 100 years is about how long it takes (in generations) for folks to learn something and then forget it and then “re-discover” it again. This is particularly true when only a small portion of the population is literate. This is true for science as well as for lessons from God.
  
  Thanks again for the visit and comment!
  - on March 2, 2015 at 3:50 pm | Reply Marie Hunter Atwood
    
    Glad you noticed that I wasn’t there! hadI had some more (2) heart surgeries (ablations). The first in November of last year was a piece of cake but it didn’t help. Fibrillation got up to 600 beats/minute. Not all the time of course, but it was wearing my heart out, thus the ablations. The last one was a nightmare mainly because the back of my heart was burned as was my esophagus . I’ve actually been completely gone for two months. (The last surgery was February 26). i just finished the revisions on my new book and we are beginning to work on the cover. There are a couple of pages where you could take a look at the first one. One is a button on my word press blog. You and I don’t always see eye to eye, but personally I approve of differences and it’s one reason I have always enjoyed your blogs. I don’t like to get in ruts where the tendency is to become dogmatic. My way or else…i hate that attitude. So take a look and tell me what you think. I would be honored.
    - on March 3, 2015 at 8:32 pm | Reply kmabarrett
      
      Hi Marie,
      Sorry to hear about your ill health and I hope you’re feeling better and recovering from the procedures.
      
      I’ll try to take a look at your site in the next week or so. Life is full / hectic at the moment.
      
      Best wishes,
      Kevin