PhilGoetz comments on The things we know that we know ain't so - Less Wrong

16 Post author: PhilGoetz 11 January 2010 09:59PM

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Comment author: PhilGoetz 11 January 2010 10:35:38PM 2 points [-]

Kuhn's paradigm shifts deal with the problem of diffusing new scientific theories. But I think it's a different issue. Kuhn claims that paradigm shift is difficult because people on different sides of the shift speak in incommensurate terms, and so can't understand each other. In the case of Broca's/Wernicke's areas, there's no problem communicating between different paradigms or even vocabularies.

Comment author: Zachary_Kurtz 11 January 2010 10:50:05PM 0 points [-]

Kuhn may be wrong here.

If two people are speaking with the same terms, but using these terms to mean different things, it might be more difficult (not less) to accept new scientific data. Especially if such terms are highly associated with out-dated scientific 'facts.'

Comment author: Jack 12 January 2010 12:12:49AM 4 points [-]

Whether or not a particular brain region is related to language function isn't close to the kind of thing that would be ignored because of the existing paradigm.

Comment author: MichaelVassar 12 January 2010 03:01:39PM 0 points [-]

The terminological problem is a BIG problem, especially if we are aspiring to Aumann Agreement, but the term paradigm shift is also used to describe changes that don't have that property.

Comment author: PhilGoetz 13 January 2010 08:09:06PM 2 points [-]

I don't think this involves a paradigm shift of any kind. It's a matter of looking at a lot of brains and seeing where they are damaged.

Comment author: MichaelVassar 13 January 2010 09:54:52PM 1 point [-]

agreed. I mean more generally.