1.

1
In the production of knowledge, are we
too quick to dismiss anomalies? Discuss
with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Argument 1 Argument 2

2.1 2.2
No, we are not too quick to dismiss anomalies in Yes, we are too quick to dismiss anomalies in the
the area of knowledge of natural sciences as area of knowledge of human sciences because
changes within the sciences only occur when human behaviour and societal trends are inherently
there exists huge discrepancies amongst complex, and anomalies may hold valuable insights
existing theories. that contribute to a deeper understanding of these
phenomena.

Counter Counter

3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6

The argument suggests that scientific revolutions or
paradigm shifts primarily happen when there are major
inconsistencies or contradictions between established
theories and empirical observations. According to this
viewpoint, small anomalies or deviations from expected
results are often dismissed as noise or experimental error
until they accumulate into a substantial discrepancy.
The Copernican revolution challenged
the geocentric view. Astronomers
observed discrepancies in planetary
motion, such as retrograde motion.
Copernicus proposed a heliocentric
model, and subsequent evidence (such
as Galileo’s telescopic observations)
supported this shift.
However, shifts in the sciences can
manifest when minor disparities
emerge.
According to a magazine article from Harvard Business Review titled:
“The Power of Anomaly” by Martin Reeves, Bob Goodson, and Kevin
Whitaker, To take advantage of emerging trends, companies must
identify them when they are embryonic—not purely speculative, but not
yet named or widely known. At that stage the signs will be merely
anomalies: weak signals that are in some way surprising but not entirely
clear in scope or import. Most anomalies don’t become meaningful
trends, of course, but some do—and the businesses that identify and
interpret them early will steal a march on the competition. Instagram’s
founders, for example, focused their initially multifunctional social
networking app, originally called Burbn, on image sharing after they
noticed an unusual amount of activity around that feature.
Anomalies can serve as "outliers" that reveal the limitations of However, human
existing theories and models, prompting the development of behaviour is
more comprehensive and accurate explanations. [Lotter, H. P. influenced by a
P. (1999). The complexity of science. Koers, 64(4), 499-520.]; multitude of factors.
[Kuhn, T. S. (1970). The structure of scientific revolutions.
University of Chicago press.]
Ignoring anomalies can also perpetuate the status quo and
hinder progress in the human sciences, as new insights and
paradigm shifts often emerge from the careful examination of
unexpected observations [Kuhn, T. S. (1970). The structure of
scientific revolutions. University of Chicago press.]; [Coveney,
P., & Highfield, R. (1995). Frontiers of complexity: The search
for order in a chaotic world. Faber & Faber]

4.1 4.2 4.3

Heinrich Lenz, building on Faraday’s work, introduced the
concept of Lenz’s law, which states that induced currents
always oppose the change in magnetic field. He added the
minus sign to Faraday’s equation.
In their well-known paper of 1982, Posner, Strike, The theory of statistical significance and random
Hewson, & Gertzog, pointed out that one of the variation supports the notion that not all anomalies in
conditions to achieve accommodation (in Piagetian human behaviour and societal trends are equally
terms, a radical form of conceptual change that meaningful. This theory suggests that while
involves the replacement or reorganization of the anomalies may arise frequently, not all of them
students' concepts) is the dissatisfaction with existing reflect broader patterns or trends. Instead, some
conceptions. Before of more radical changes an anomalies may be attributed to random variation,
individual must have collected anomalies or individual idiosyncrasies, or specific situational
anomalous data. According to this, anomalies would factors rather than underlying trends in human
provide a sort of cognitive conflict that would prepare behaviour. Therefore, it is essential to rigorously
the student for accommodation or for radical evaluate anomalies, considering statistical
conceptual change. significance and contextual factors, to determine
their relevance and avoid over-interpreting them as
indicative of broader trends.