There is a pervasive idea that scientific advancement consists of "discovery," but that doesn't need to be how we conceptualize science. In this essay, I analyze the implications of science viewed as a process of discovery, and the limitations of thinking of science as exploring the unknown to find hidden information. I point out that information is rarely hidden, the correctness of a scientist's theory is no guarantee of their future success, and science flourishes more when tended to indirectly than incentivized. I propose some alternate ways of conceptualizing the scientific process, and tie them to more pragmatic analysis of why modern science struggles and what the scientific community can do to improve it.
Benjamin Tolkin
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