Source for quotation about science/physics?

[Stephan Hoyer]

I read this some time ago, I don't remember where. Roughly paraphased:

"Old scientists are never convinced of any radical new theory. Eventually, the old scientists die and are replaced by new ones who grew up being taught it."

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Thanks for your help.

 

[matthyaouw]

That sounds like Thomas Kuhn's 'stability & revolution' theory of how science works.

 

[franznietzsche]

Yeah, I think it might have been Kuhn.

 

[Moonbear]

It was Max Planck, written in The Philosophy of Physics.

Just dug out my copy of Bartlett's, so here's the full quote as they have it:

An important scientific innovation rarely makes its way by gradually winning over and converting its opponents: it rarely happens that Saul becomes Paul. What does happen is that its opponents gradually die out and that the growing generation is familiarized with the idea from the beginning.

Note that in the actual quote, the word "rarely" is used, not "never."

 

[Stephan Hoyer]

Thanks, Moonbear.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Another version that used to be part of my signature: Science progresses one death at a time.

 

[Bladibla]

A great website for whatever quotes you need is http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/Mathematicians/Faraday.html" would be the link you would get; a list of quotes for the scientist.

Work, finish, publish

- Faraday

My Favourite quote.