British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

Ahead of Their Time

Synopsis
This 30-minute programme Peter Evans investigates how science deals with new ideas and asks whether a conservative establishment is stifling creative research and science is merely a consensus of what the scientific community thinks it is?

If someone appears to be outside the mainstream, there is a natural tendency to reject them. To accept their ideas might undermine your own research, even make your career seem "pointless". So they are ignored, vilified, dismissed or worse. But, by closing its doors, the establishment often holds back progress that might have real benefits. Some critics have argued for a complete reassessment of the scientific process and declared that an anarchistic approach, "against method", would deliver as much - if not more - discovery than the narrow mindedness which is currently accepted.
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Year of release
2005
Year of production
2002
Notes
Broadcast on Radio 4 on 18/12/2002
Subjects
Philosophy; Science
Keywords
history of science; philosophy of science; scientific research

Online availability

URI
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/aheadoftheirtime.shtml
Price
free
Delivery
Streamed

Production Company

Name

BBC Radio 4

Web
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 External site opens in new window

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