Question
“Every great physical theory starts as a heresy and ends as a dogma”. Give some examples from the history of science of the validity of this incisive remark
“Every great physical theory starts as a heresy and ends as a dogma”. Give some examples from the history of science of the validity of this incisive remark
Solution
Solution: In our daily lives, a common observation is that light travels in a straight line. It was heresy when Huygens advocated his theory of waves. However, it quickly became a dogma that could be explained effectively on the grounds of wave theory as interference patterns, refraction, etc.
The light was believed to be only energy, but when the photoelectric effect was discovered, it was proposed that light had a particle nature, this was widely debated and treated as hearsay. However, Einstein finally proved it with his quantum theory of light. Henceforth, it has been regarded as a dogma.
Solution: In our daily lives, a common observation is that light travels in a straight line. It was heresy when Huygens advocated his theory of waves. However, it quickly became a dogma that could be explained effectively on the grounds of wave theory as interference patterns, refraction, etc.
The light was believed to be only energy, but when the photoelectric effect was discovered, it was proposed that light had a particle nature, this was widely debated and treated as hearsay. However, Einstein finally proved it with his quantum theory of light. Henceforth, it has been regarded as a dogma.