scholarly journals Philosophical Reflections on Facilitating Paradigm Shifts

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 17-25
Author(s):  
J. Marvin Herndon

A paradigm shift by definition is a major change in scientific understanding that upends and replaces a prior paradigm. Over the past 47 years, I have made a number of paradigm shifts in the geosciences, planetary sciences, and astrophysical sciences. These include the composition of the inner core and deep interior of Earth, recognizing that Earth’s early formation as a Jupiter-like gas giant makes it possible to derive virtually all the geological and geodynamic behavior of our planet, including the origin of mountains characterized by folding, the primary initiation of fjords and submarine canyons, the origin and typography of ocean floors and continents (described in Whole-Earth Decompression Dynamics), which upends and replaces plate tectonics theory, Earth’s previously unanticipated, powerful, and variable energy sources, namely, a terra-centric nuclear fission georeactor and the stored energy of protoplanetary compression, the nuclear georeactor origin of Earth’s magnetic field and the reasons for its variability. I also revealed a new concept that explains the thermonuclear ignition of stars and, concomitantly, the dark matter surrounding galaxies, the origin of heavy elements, and the reason why the vast multitude of galaxies in the universe display just a few prominent patterns of luminous stars. Recently, I discovered that particulate pollution, not carbon dioxide, is the primary cause of anthropogenic global warming. These are paradigm shifts which, unless successfully refuted, provide new, more-correct logical pathways for future discoveries. Here I reflect on some aspects of my personal science philosophy that has facilitated these fundamental paradigm shifts.

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 631-645
Author(s):  
J. Marvin Herndon

Over my lifetime I have witnessed the decline of scientific capability and integrity in the physical sciences. When a new idea arises, it should be discussed and debated. Attempts should be made to refute the new idea; otherwise, it should be cited in subsequent literature. That is the way science progresses, not by attempting to suppress a new idea or failing that, to ignore it. But all too often, in instances of discoveries or insights that might cause major paradigm shifts, suppression or non-recognition is what happens. Here, I describe, from a first-person perspective, several paradigm shifts in astrophysics that have been systematically ignored, including the thermonuclear ignition of stars, the nature of dark matter, why vast numbers of galaxies have just a few prominent patterns of luminous stars, the origin of chemical elements, and a new speculation about the nature of the Universe.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 283-303
Author(s):  
J. Marvin Herndon

A recent PLOSONE article utilized tabulations of opinions obtained from federal scientists to assert “perceived losses of scientific integrity under the Trump Administration.” The article presupposes the wide-spread existence of scientific integrity among federal scientists, which I refute based upon documented 40+ years’ experience making fundamental scientific discoveries which the scientific establishment systematically ignores and in instances has attempted to suppress. These discoveries include, but are not limited to: Earth’s nickel-silicide inner-core composition, the physical impossibility of both mantle convection and Earth-core convection; recognition that Earth’s early formation as a Jupiter-like gas giant makes it possible to derive virtually all geological and geodynamic behavior of our planet, including origin of continents and oceans, ocean floor topography, origin of mountains characterized by folding, primary initiation of fjords and submarine canyons, and two previously unanticipated potentially variable energy sources - nuclear fission and stored energy of protoplanetary compression; nuclear-fission-reactor origin of planetary magnetic fields, including the geomagnetic field; thermonuclear ignition of stars and the reason why the multitude of galaxies display just a few patterns of luminous stars; and, particulate pollution, not greenhouse gases, as the main cause of local and global warming. A scientific community, apparently suffering from Integrity Deficit Syndrome, cannot be expected to provide a truthful assessment, especially when queried about the actions of a president who might change the science landscape under which they flourish.


Science ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 358 (6364) ◽  
pp. 734-738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kei Hirose ◽  
Ryosuke Sinmyo ◽  
John Hernlund

Silicate perovskite-type phases are the most abundant constituent inside our planet and are the predominant minerals in Earth’s lower mantle more than 660 kilometers below the surface. Magnesium-rich perovskite is a major lower mantle phase and undergoes a phase transition to post-perovskite near the bottom of the mantle. Calcium-rich perovskite is proportionally minor but may host numerous trace elements that record chemical differentiation events. The properties of mantle perovskites are the key to understanding the dynamic evolution of Earth, as they strongly influence the transport properties of lower mantle rocks. Perovskites are expected to be an important constituent of rocky planets larger than Mars and thus play a major role in modulating the evolution of terrestrial planets throughout the universe.


Author(s):  
David Vaughan

‘Minerals and the interior of the Earth’ looks at the role of minerals in plate tectonics during the processes of crystallization and melting. The size and range of minerals formed are dependent on the temperature and pressure of the magma during its movement through the crust. The evolution of the continental crust also involves granite formation and processes of metamorphism. Our understanding of the interior of the Earth is based on indirect evidence, mainly the study of earthquake waves. The Earth consists of concentric shells: a solid inner core; liquid outer core; a solid mantle divided into a lower mantle, a transition zone, and an upper mantle; and then the outer rigid lithosphere.


2020 ◽  
Vol 242 ◽  
pp. 03005
Author(s):  
M. Verriere ◽  
M.R. Mumpower ◽  
T. Kawano ◽  
N. Schunck

Nuclear fission is the splitting of a heavy nucleus into two or more fragments, a process that releases a substantial amount of energy. It is ubiquitous in modern applications, critical for national security, energy generation and reactor safeguards. Fission also plays an important role in understanding the astrophysical formation of elements in the universe. Eighty years after the discovery of the fission process, its theoretical understanding from first principles remains a great challenge. In this paper, we present promising new approaches to make more accurate predictions of fission observables.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 220-232
Author(s):  
Jeffrey M. Perl

This essay introduces the second of three installments of an “elegiac symposium” in Common Knowledge on figures and concepts devalued in what Thomas Kuhn refers to as “paradigm shifts.” The essay suggests that Kuhn’s idea is provincial, in three specified senses, and then goes on to show how differently Japanese culture regards and manages major change. The author of this introduction, who is also the journal’s editor, begins by evaluating a triptych of 1895 by Toshikata as a response to the seemingly revolutionary changes brought by the Meiji Restoration a generation before. He then goes on to discuss, as exemplary of Japanese attitudes toward change, the Shinto ritual during which the sacred shrines of Ise Jingū are torn down and rebuilt every twenty years. The essay concludes by explaining how the impetus for this ritual is also involved in less-exalted aspects of Japanese culture; for example, in the peculiarities of the market for ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Overall, this essay shows that Japanese ways of regarding concepts such as “old” and “new,” “continuity” and “change,” differ so radically from those presupposed in the West that the latter should be regarded as provincial rather than as universally valid.


First, the limits of Science, Philosophy and Theology, and the proper methodologies of each field of knowledge must he recalled in order to speak meaningfully of material reality, living or non-living. The existence of infinite universes as the theoretical reason why Einstein’s cosmological constant is so close to zero is impossible to verify for those other universes. Eddington, Dicke, Carter, Barrow, Wheeler and Hawking himself have underlined the need for most precise values of the different cosmic parameters (Anthropic Principle). Finality is a metaphysical problem when we speak of the Universe and to deny it leaves us with an absurd. We should admit that there is no scientific answer as yet for any of the important questions posed by biology. “The Emperor’s New Mind” of artificial intelligence is a fraud, as pointed out by Penrose. In “The Great Design”, their authors present the multiplicity of undetectable universes (than appear out of “nothing”) as the explanation of the fact that the one we detect is suitable for life. No Science can predict what I will do next minute. Neither can it predict the free activity of the Creator who holds the Universe in existence.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Arif Hussain ◽  
Kashif Bin Zaheer ◽  
Syed Muhammad Haroon ◽  
Amber Nehan Kashif

Abstract Exponential growths are observed in several natural phenomena, including cosmological expansion of the universe, nuclear fission, population growth, global viral spread, and financial markets fluctuations. Several deterministic and stochastic methods have been used for the modeling of dynamics of these phenomena. Global reliable data are essential to parameterise a defined model so as to enhance confidence in model outputs. Four-parameter logistic model comes out to be best forecast model for the total Covid-19 infected people in Pakistan and India. Five-parameter logistic model is best forecast model for Bangladesh. Simulation results revel that maximum total number of cases will be about 1.0, 0.6 and 0.25 million in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh respectively. Covid-19 infected rate will be closed to 11000, 8000 and 2000 cases per day during peak period in these countries.


Author(s):  
Roy Livermore

Written in a witty and informal style, this book explains modern plate tectonics in a non-technical manner, showing not only how it accounts for phenomena such as great earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions, but also how it controls conditions at the Earth’s surface, including global geography and climate, making it suitable for life. The book presents the advances that have been made since the establishment of plate tectonics in the 1960s, highlighting, on the fiftieth anniversary of the theory, the contributions of a small number of scientists who have never been widely recognized for their discoveries. Beginning with the publication of a short article in Nature by Vine and Matthews, the book traces the development of plate tectonics through two generations of the theory. First-generation plate tectonics covers the exciting scientific revolution of the 1960s, its heroes, and its villains. The second generation includes the rapid expansions in sonar, satellite, and seismic technologies during the 1980s and 1990s that provided a truly global view of the plates and their motions, and an appreciation of the role of their within the Earth system. Arriving at the cutting edge of the science, the latest results from studies using techniques such as seismic tomography and mineral physics to probe the deep interior are discussed and the prospects for finding plate tectonics on other planets assessed. Ultimately, the book leads to the startling conclusion that, without plate tectonics, the Earth would be as lifeless as Venus.


Author(s):  
Shivan Jumaa

In this study, we discuss the properties of absolute vacuum space and how these properties can play a vital role in creating a mechanism in which the very first particle gets created simultaneously everywhere and we find the limit in which when the absolute vacuum volume reaches will lead to the collapse that leads to the creation of the first particle. This discussion is made following to the elementary dimensions theory study that was peer-reviewed at the end of 2020, everything in the universe is made from four elementary dimensions, these dimensions are the three spatial dimensions (X, Y, and Z) and the Vacuum resistant as the factor of change among the four, time itself wasn’t considered as the fourth dimension, rather time corresponds to a factor of change, and during the research it was found out that the Vacuum resistant is the factor of change in the Absolute Vacuum space, where time is a hypothetical concept, that represents changes during certain events compared to a constant change rate event.Therefore, time does exist, but as a factor of change, and as the Vacuum resistant in the absolute vacuum space, Time= factor of change= Vacuum resistant. In the study, the internal and external vacuum resistant volume equivalent is found, External Vacuum resistant=3.2857602*10^15 *mass. This equation is used to identify the amount of Free external vacuum resistant created during nuclear fission and fusion: Initial mass of the excited nucleuses mass of the created new nucleuses+ 3.2857602*10^15 * the lost Mass. In elementary dimensions, the energy created during nuclear reactions is equivalent to the free External vacuum resistant created through nuclear reactions, and mass is equivalent to the internal Vacuum resistant.


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