It seems to be a general rule that sciences begin their development with the unusual. They have to develop considerable sophistication before they interest themselves in the commonplace.
Interpretation
Scientific progress often starts with unique or unusual phenomena before focusing on more ordinary aspects.
Ralph Linton's quote suggests that the initial stages of scientific inquiry are driven by the exploration of unusual or exceptional cases, which captivates interest and fosters the development of sophisticated theories and concepts. Only after mastering these complexities do scientists turn their attention towards more mundane or commonplace elements, reflecting a progression from novelty to normality in the advancement of knowledge.
In practice
This quote can be used to inspire students in a science class to embrace curiosity and innovation.
The main difficulty is finding an idea that really excites me. We live in an age when miracles are no longer miracles, and science and the future are losing their sense of mystery. For science fiction, or at least the type of science fiction I write, this development is almost fatal, but I'm still giving it all I've got.
Frequently on the lunar surface I said to myself, 'This is the Moon, that is the Earth. I'm really here, I'm really here!'
A strong feeling of adventure is animating those who are working on bacterial viruses, a feeling that they have a small part in the great drive towards a fundamental problem in biology.
One of the things that science fiction gets to do is thought experiments about the human condition that would be impractical or unethical to conduct in real life.
We didn't go to the moon to explore or because it was in our DNA or because we're Americans. We went because we were at war and we felt a threat.
Simplification of modes of proof is not merely an indication of advance in our knowledge of a subject, but is also the surest guarantee of readiness for farther progress.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.