How Science and Paradigms can make you a better person (Video + Infographic)

While reading perhaps one of my favorite books on self development, the first emphases goes to understanding the concept of paradigms. In the book the author gives the example of the map, just like the one in the beginning of the video.

This example was quite simple and yet powerful. Everyone has a map of the world and everyone thinks their map is the real one. Once you understand that everyone has a different map, you start to realize how important this topic is.

And that’s what I did. I researched this ‘paradigms’ thing.

Mainly the work done by Thomas Kuhn. In his book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions,Kuhn analysis the great scientific revolutions in science to see how these changes come to happen.

*spoiler alert* scientists are stubborn and don’t want to change

After reading majority of The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, here are the main take away lessons:

// Diverse your experiences.

Unlike science, there is no empirical evidence in social or personal interactions. Therefore we must be responsible for providing ourselves with different points of view and be available to learn from them.

Regardless of their validity, new opinions makes us question our current through pattern.

// Pay attention to the anomalies.

Paradigms that don’t correctly reflect reality tend to perform poorly against observation. It’s just like when you have a preconceived idea about a certain person and when you finally meet them, it turns out that you were completely wrong.

Or when you don’t like your job…

Or when your partner is getting more and more annoying…

The anomalies indicate that something has to change.

// Don’t get attached to an opinion.

Just because you have been doing things a certain way for years don’t mean you are right. The world changes and we have to change with it. Remember Max Planck’s words:

// Don’t expect others to change.

Getting people to change their actions and opinions is a hard task. This resistance to change was predicted by many theorists with all of them concluding that time is the best agent of change.

Personal change and growth is an extremely personal process.

If you try to change someone you deeply care about, be a source of inspiration and very patient…

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*This post was originally created and post at roaddelta.com/paradigms*