The gap between invention and implementation is beset by a bias: when in doubt we prefer the status quo, even when solutions to deficiencies are apparent. Is it any wonder that it took Pasteur years to convince doctors and nurses throughout Europe that germs caused infectious diseases? This is especially true when we have a hand in establishing the status quo. Skinner remained a steadfast behaviorist until his death - well after the cognitive revolution undermined many tenets of behaviorism. Think about phrenologists, phlogistonists, and alchemists; often, beliefs that built a career are responsible for its demise.
There is another bias that widens the “discovery-delivery” gap: it’s difficult to see what an invention is good for. Just ask the folks who invented the Segway - they prophesized that the electronic scooter would change cities, companies, and just about everything. Today, a Segway sighting is few and far between, reserved for lethargic tourists and police officers. It hasn’t revolutionized a thing.
Read more
There is another bias that widens the “discovery-delivery” gap: it’s difficult to see what an invention is good for. Just ask the folks who invented the Segway - they prophesized that the electronic scooter would change cities, companies, and just about everything. Today, a Segway sighting is few and far between, reserved for lethargic tourists and police officers. It hasn’t revolutionized a thing.
Read more