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May 20 Notes

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Revision as of 21:32, 20 May 2008 by Rafefurst (talk | contribs)

Changing the Paradigm

  • Current shortcomings of science as a whole
    • Methodology
    • Meta-issues
      • Language
        • lack of good and shared LEXICON slows understanding and progress:
          • what is a "gene"?
          • "genome" vs "chromosome"
          • is it "noise", "randomness", "heterogeneity", "diversity"?
        • METAPHORS affect what actions are taken and what systems are developed
          • "war on cancer" leads to "military industrial complex" for cancer
        • POLITICAL CORRECTNESS stiffles progress
          • the "e" word
        • PARADIGMS proscribe and limit what futures are possible
          • treatment of disease vs. promotion of health
            • taking evolution seriously means looking at the context that evolved for protection and promotion of cancer
      • Technology effects
        • hammers & nails
        • diff between engineered systems and evolved systems
          • parodies belie truth: "how biologists learn to fix a radio"; "frog legs"
        • scientists are especially susceptible
        • speed of technological change
      • Financial & political factors
        • Fadism (technological, ideological, novelty)
        • Pipeline effects
        • Healthcare-industrial-governmental complex
  • Lessons from other paradigm shifts
    • what are closest examples?
    • how the existing paradigm reacts to attack
    • working within the system vs. outside and on the margins
    • providing a better alternative (or hope thereof) is important
  • Spreading the word
  • Ideas for catalyzing change
  • Who's missing from this forum?