Observation continuedObservation continued

Kuhn: Why what scientists observe changes Kuhn: Why what scientists observe changes after a revolutionafter a revolution

““Behind” the Hubble’s imagesBehind” the Hubble’s images The Social BrainThe Social Brain Our “next of kin” and language (film)Our “next of kin” and language (film)

ObservationObservation

Important days in the history of the universe Important days in the history of the universe (cnn.com)(cnn.com)

July 4, 1054 The day the sky got brighterJuly 4, 1054 The day the sky got brighter An exploding star in the constellation TaurusAn exploding star in the constellation Taurus Recorded by the Chinese and the Anasazi Indians of Recorded by the Chinese and the Anasazi Indians of

North America – but not by Europeans!North America – but not by Europeans! (Some really big things (comets)(Some really big things (comets) taken to be “divine signs”)taken to be “divine signs”) Now known as the Crab NebulaNow known as the Crab Nebula

ObservationObservation

Important days in the history of the universe Important days in the history of the universe (cnn.com)(cnn.com)

March 12, 1610: Day Galileo revealed all his March 12, 1610: Day Galileo revealed all his secretssecrets

Kuhn: Observation and scientific Kuhn: Observation and scientific revolutions revolutions

Recall Kuhn’s account of the nature and Recall Kuhn’s account of the nature and role of paradigms:role of paradigms:

They carry quasi-metaphysical They carry quasi-metaphysical commitments about what the world or commitments about what the world or universe of a particular science universe of a particular science containscontains and and does notdoes not

In In normal sciencenormal science, scientists are concerned , scientists are concerned to fit nature into the boxes a paradigm to fit nature into the boxes a paradigm suppliessupplies

They are not seeking novelty and not They are not seeking novelty and not challenging the paradigm that determines challenging the paradigm that determines the research agenda in their field.the research agenda in their field.

Observation and scientific revolutions Observation and scientific revolutions But when a scientific revolution – in But when a scientific revolution – in

Kuhn’s words “a paradigm shift” occurs – Kuhn’s words “a paradigm shift” occurs – it has an impact on observations as well it has an impact on observations as well as on theories.as on theories.

According to Kuhn, the “old” and the According to Kuhn, the “old” and the “new” paradigms are incompatible“new” paradigms are incompatible

Parallels between a scientific revolution Parallels between a scientific revolution and a political revolutionand a political revolution

There is no “third party” – or higher There is no “third party” – or higher authority – that prevails. Only the consent authority – that prevails. Only the consent of the relevant community counts.of the relevant community counts.

Observation and scientific revolutions Observation and scientific revolutions

There is no “third party” – or higher There is no “third party” – or higher authority – that prevails. Only the authority – that prevails. Only the consent of the relevant community consent of the relevant community counts.counts.

Why is this the case?Why is this the case? In both political and scientific revolutions, In both political and scientific revolutions,

the new order seeks to change things in the new order seeks to change things in ways that the older order ways that the older order prohibitsprohibits..

So in each case, one must abandon a whole So in each case, one must abandon a whole set of institutions to make the change.set of institutions to make the change.

Observation and scientific revolutions Observation and scientific revolutions Paradigms and observations (or Paradigms and observations (or

paradigms and what exists…)paradigms and what exists…) ““Examining the record of past research… Examining the record of past research…

the historian of science may be tempted the historian of science may be tempted to exclaim that when paradigms change, to exclaim that when paradigms change, the world itself changes with them”the world itself changes with them”

Scientists adopt new instruments and Scientists adopt new instruments and look in new places.look in new places.

Scientists see new and different things Scientists see new and different things when looking with familiar instruments when looking with familiar instruments in places they have looked before.in places they have looked before.

Observation and scientific revolutionsObservation and scientific revolutions

Paradigms and observations (or Paradigms and observations (or paradigms and what exists…)paradigms and what exists…)

There is a transformation in vision…There is a transformation in vision… And insofar as scientists’ only recourse And insofar as scientists’ only recourse

to the world of their research-to the world of their research-engagement is through what they see engagement is through what they see and do, we may want to say that after a and do, we may want to say that after a revolution, scientists are responding to a revolution, scientists are responding to a different world.different world.

Observation and scientific revolutionsObservation and scientific revolutions How these changes in observation are like, and how How these changes in observation are like, and how

they are unlike, the experiences of subjects in gestalt they are unlike, the experiences of subjects in gestalt experimentsexperiments

Like subjects in a gestalt experiment, what they Like subjects in a gestalt experiment, what they observe in the end is far different from what they observe in the end is far different from what they initially observed.initially observed.

But there is no third party, authority figure like the But there is no third party, authority figure like the experimenter who designed the gestalt experiment, experimenter who designed the gestalt experiment, to explain the change in vision in a scientific to explain the change in vision in a scientific community.community.

There is only the consensus within the community.There is only the consensus within the community.

ObservationObservation

Important days in the history of the universeImportant days in the history of the universe Dec. 30, 1924: The day the universe got biggerDec. 30, 1924: The day the universe got bigger

Using a new telescope, Edwin Hubble made 2 major Using a new telescope, Edwin Hubble made 2 major discoveriesdiscoveries

There are galaxies other than our own! We now There are galaxies other than our own! We now know there are more than 100 billion galaxies…know there are more than 100 billion galaxies…

Galaxies are, on average, moving away from usGalaxies are, on average, moving away from us

ObservationObservation

Important days in the history of the universeImportant days in the history of the universe May 13, 1965: the day we “heard” The Big BangMay 13, 1965: the day we “heard” The Big Bang

Two young radio astronomers stumbled across its Two young radio astronomers stumbled across its “afterglow”“afterglow”

Discovered a source of irremovable static in a Discovered a source of irremovable static in a sensitive microwave antennasensitive microwave antenna

It was the microwave background of radiation that It was the microwave background of radiation that exists as a remnant of The Big Bangexists as a remnant of The Big Bang

ObservationObservation March 2008 issue of March 2008 issue of Scientific AmericanScientific American

Cover story: The End of CosmologyCover story: The End of Cosmology Evidence of the Big Bang is disappearing as the Evidence of the Big Bang is disappearing as the

universe expands.universe expands. The accelerating cosmic expansion is wiping away The accelerating cosmic expansion is wiping away

every trace of the universe’s origin.every trace of the universe’s origin.

Observations made by Observations made by The Hubble TelescopeThe Hubble Telescope

We should rather speak of “The Hubble System,” of We should rather speak of “The Hubble System,” of which the telescope and its parts (cameras which the telescope and its parts (cameras and other features) are only a partand other features) are only a part

We should also note that the Hubble does not We should also note that the Hubble does not work by magnifying images, but by being able work by magnifying images, but by being able to take in great amounts of lightto take in great amounts of light

And we should note that the Hubble does not And we should note that the Hubble does not include cameras in the normal sense… but include cameras in the normal sense… but light collectors .. And so does not itself light collectors .. And so does not itself produce the images NASA presents.produce the images NASA presents.

Why the shape?Why the shape?

From whence the colors?From whence the colors?

The Social BrainThe Social Brain

EEG EEG MEGMEG

Our next of kin and language:Our next of kin and language:Washoe and sign languageWashoe and sign language

Washoe using sign language with RogerWashoe using sign language with Roger

Kanzi (a Bonobo) using a lexigramKanzi (a Bonobo) using a lexigramto “speak” to Sueto “speak” to Sue