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For centuries, observers have noted the many obstacles to intellectual change in science. In a much-discussed paper published in Scientific American in 1972, molecular biologist Gunther Stent proposed an explicit criterion for one kind of obstacle to scientific discovery. He denoted a claim or hypothesis as "premature" if its implications cannot be connected to canonical knowledge by a simple series of logical steps. Further, Stent suggested that it was appropriate for the scientific community to ignore such hypotheses so that it would not be overwhelmed by vast numbers of false leads. In this volume, eminent scientists, physicians, historians, social scientists, and philosophers respond to Stent's thesis.

Science --- Discoveries in science --- Normal science --- Philosophy of science --- Breakthroughs, Scientific --- Discoveries, Scientific --- Scientific breakthroughs --- Scientific discoveries --- Creative ability in science --- Research --- Philosophy. --- Stent, Gunther S. --- Stent, Gunther Siegmund, --- Stent, G. S. --- Stensch, Gunther Siegmund, --- archibald garrod. --- bacteria. --- darwin. --- earth sciences. --- elements. --- evolution. --- evolutionary biology. --- expanding universe. --- gene transfer. --- gene transmission. --- genetics. --- gunther stent. --- ida noddack. --- joseph adams. --- natural selection. --- nuclear fission. --- philosophy of science. --- physics. --- polanyi. --- political science. --- prematurity. --- research. --- science. --- scientific change. --- scientific discovery. --- scientific leap. --- scientific method. --- scientific theory. --- scientists. --- scotoma. --- scurvy. --- social science. --- surface adsorption. --- transuranium actinide elements.