Only when they must choose between competing theories do scientists behave like philosophers.
--
Kuhn (1970) in Logic of Discovery or Psychology of Research?, edited by Imre Lakatos, Alan Musgrave (1970). Criticism and the growth of knowledge. Cambridge University Press. p. 7. ISBN 0521096235.Thomas Samuel Kuhn
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Do we want to put pedagogy into the hands of the philosophers? Nothing less than that! They would behave themselves awkwardly enough. It shall be entrusted only to those who are more than philosophers, who are in that respect more even than humanists or realists.
Max Stirner
The scientists from Franklin to Morse were clear thinkers and did not produce erroneous theories. The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane.
Nikola Tesla
Whenever faced with two competing theories for the same set of observations I have always found that the theory which was more aesthetically satisfying is also the correct one.
Abdus Salam
There are many examples of old, incorrect theories that stubbornly persisted, sustained only by the prestige of foolish but well-connected scientists. ... Many of these theories have been killed off only when some decisive experiment exposed their incorrectness. .. Thus the yeoman work in any science, and especially physics, is done by the experimentalist, who must keep the theoreticians honest.
Michio Kaku
If we do discover a complete theory, it should in time be understandable in broad principle by everyone, not just a few scientists. Then we shall all, philosophers, scientists, and just ordinary people, be able to take part in the discussion of the question of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason — for then we would know the mind of God.
Stephen Hawking
Kuhn, Thomas Samuel
Kuhner, Jeffrey T.
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