Human History Is Additive NOT Subtractive!
Wayne Hodgins, Off Course-On Target, May 13, 2008.

I disagree with the proposition asserted in the title. While a great deal of knowledge accumulates over time, it is very frequent that new knowledge replaces older, incommensurate, knowledge. The replacement of the Ptolemaic view of the universe with the Copernican, or the replacement of phlogiston production theory of fire with that of oxygen consumption, top name just two prominent examples. As Kuhn (who, I guess, nobody reads any more?) notes, not only does one theory replace another, whole vocabularies, practices and methods are supplanted. Older disciplines founded on older understandings of the world are relegated to history. Some media - most media - disappear. Which is why our libraries no longer store clay tablets, papyrus scrolls, Edison cylinders or betamax tapes. The preservation of old media is the exception, not the rule - which is why we should regard the current forms of radio, television and print to be, as they say, 'on the bubble'. (Hits Today: 1 Total: 542) [Direct Link] [Tags: Video, Edison Schools]

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Re: Human History Is Additive NOT Subtractive!

Anymouse, May 13, 2008

'Almost nobody' you might have to say, Stephen. I picked up a copy very recently and blogged on some fairly basic notions culled from the book. As Kuhn notes, scientific progress by accretion is simply not a reflection of the reality of how science develops. Kuhn's books is one of those books, I'm ashamed to admit, of which I was reasonably familiar with the basic argument, but which I had never actually read. Until now. [Comment] [Permalink] [Previous][Next]

Re: Human History Is Additive NOT Subtractive!

Anymouse, May 13, 2008

I don't think you're reading that blog post as it was intended; if I read it correctly, the post ISN'T suggesting that old knowledge or ways of seeing aren't superceded by new and better paradigms. Rather, it is saying that when a new paradigm comes along, it doesn't REPLACE the old paradigm, but augments it: we still KNOW the old paradigm, but we may judge it wrong in light of the new paradigm; and therefore the old "knowledge" isn't lost, it is corrected, or improved upon, or rebuffed.

Thus, we KNOW the Ptolemaic view of the universe, but we do not apply it if we are aware of (and believe in ) the Copernican view. The Ptolemaic "knowledge" is not lost; it is abetted, it is discredited, it is rebuked... but we still know what that paradigm was.

There is a replacement of *usage*, or *application*; but there is an augmentation of *knowledge* - we "know" the pre-existing theory; we know why people believed it; we now know that it is wrong, and we know why, in light of
"new" knowledge or understanding. [Comment] [Permalink] [Previous][Next]

Re: Human History Is Additive NOT Subtractive!

Stephen Downes, May 14, 2008

Your interpretation is creative and interesting, but I don't think it reflects the content of the post.

Consider: Hodgins writes, "radio has not diminished at all in its value and use-it's just changed in how, when, and where we use it... So the 'death of radio, as with most 'old things' was greatly exaggerated, to say the least."

This is a 'usage' or 'application' argument. It's an 'X does not replace Y' argument. So I think my interpretation is fair. [Comment] [Permalink] [Previous][Next]

Re: Human History Is Additive NOT Subtractive!

Stephen Downes, May 14, 2008

> I picked up a copy very recently and blogged on some fairly basic notions culled from the book.

Yes, you're right, I recall reading a post with concepts excerpted from Kuhn. It was a good post, too.
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