Can Outsiders Contribute to Breakthroughs in Fundamental Physics?

I was intrigued by this post and took to reading it. There are interesting ideas, in particular about the differences of specific disciplines with respect to the possibility of outsiders to contribute significantly. My initial score on the main theme was -8, mainly because although I think it very unlikely that an outsider will make a breakthrough, it is not logically impossible. My final score was -5, essentially because the author meant "contribution" in a much wider sense than I thought. Why do I find it unlikely? True, fundamental contributions were made by outsiders in the 18th century (e. g. Lavoisier) and even in the 19th (e. g. Faraday). But I know of no such contribution, not only in physics but also in chemistry and biology, being made after 1900. I would be happy to hear about any counterexamples. What about Newton and Einstein? True, they worked largely alone, at least in the beginning. But they were by no means outsiders. Einstein had an advanced university degree, and ... Read more

Very interesting! It makes a good case that outsides *can* make an important contribution. I’m not a physicist though, so my view is just my view 😊

I think the ideas are definitely plausible—at least from a highly theoretical standpoint. History shows us that outsiders have contributed to breakthroughs in science before, so it's not impossible. Sometimes, coming from outside the traditional system means you're not bogged down by the same assumptions, and that fresh perspective can lead to innovation. That said, the big challenge is recognition. Academia has its own ecosystem, and credentials act as a kind of quality control. Without them, it’s hard to get your work taken seriously, especially if your ideas are really innovative or seem to go against the grain. You could have the most brilliant insight, but if it's too unconventional and you're not part of the academic "club," it might get dismissed outright. So, while it's possible for outsiders to make significant contributions, especially in theoretical areas, the road to having those ideas accepted (or even noticed) is much harder. It’s not just about having a great idea; it’... Read more

Very interesting, brilliant, comprehensive, meaty, convincing, etc. etc. My score to the title question would be even +10 (I’m an outsider, after all :D); however, since the definition of +10 is “to believe that (progress/breakthrough) MUST COME from outside” – which is slightly illogical given that title question starts with CAN, and not MUST – my score is a bit lower, say +8. The author is right that putting all outsiders in the same sack labeled “crackpots” is stupid and unfair; I would add – just as making the same with all professionals, labelling them e.g., “narrow-minded conformists”. Nowadays, the knowledge (thanks to internet, wiki, email etc.) is incomparably more accessible to “outsiders” than few decades ago; in result, the boundary between professionals and non-professionals is, to some extent, blurred. Let us also think about differences between physics' education at, say, Caltech or Cambridge – and this at small universities in poor countries (with due respect). An outs... Read more

-5/-5 I agree that creativity is highly correlated with new ideas. But correlation is not 1.0 and correlation is not cause and effect. Certainly, creativity takes a different shape depending on the domain and type of effort being engaged in. New thinking, lateral thinking, and even vertical thinking can all lead to creativity in any domain. Teaching physicists creativity. Some of the best teachers I know on creativity Dr. Andrew Van De Ven and Edward De Bono have taught people from all walks of life to be more creative. > "Similarly, disciplines like gymnastics, swimming, rowing, and platform diving rarely see amateurs win over professionals, while it’s much more common in boxing, sailing, poker, chess, programming, investing, photography, or other creative fields." Disagree vehemently here. I think it is also rare in any of the other mentioned fields for an amateur to beat a professional. Muhammed Ali had already won the Golden Gloves and a Gold Medal in the Olympics when ... Read more

-10/+5

-5/+6 Insightful!