The idea that during a period of crisis, multiple competing paradigms emerge as viable alternatives to replace the broken old one. They are "selectable" in that they offer coherent, but fundamentally incompatible, new rulebooks. The theory examines the menu of options available before a new orthodoxy crystallizes.
Theory of Selectable Paradigms *Example: During the crisis in early 20th-century physics, at least three selectable paradigms vied to replace Newtonian mechanics: Einstein's relativity, Bohr/Heisenberg's quantum mechanics, and lesser-known contenders like deterministic pilot-wave theory. History shows quantum and relativity won, but for a time, the future of physics was a multiple-choice question with no clear answer key.*
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 6, 2026
Get the Theory of Selectable Paradigms mug.The study of the messy, often non-rational process by which one paradigm wins over its rivals. Kuhn argued this isn't a simple logic puzzle; it involves persuasion, generational change, aesthetic preference ("elegance"), problem-solving promise, and the death of old-guard professors. Truth doesn't automatically win; the winning paradigm defines what counts as truth for the next era.
Theory of Paradigm Selection Example: Plate tectonics didn't win the paradigm war in geology just because it had better data. It won through paradigm selection: young geographers were dazzled by its elegant maps, it solved puzzles across sub-fields (seismology, paleontology), and, crucially, its elderly opponents in the "fixed continent" paradigm eventually retired. The social process of science selected the new reality.
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 6, 2026
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Person 343: I Never Selected Tobirama Senju (Final《¤》 Bout) ; The First Juvenile Release: The First Juvenile Release.
by Maternal-Fetal-Medicine February 10, 2025
Get the I Never Selected Tobirama Senju (Final《¤》 Bout) ; The First Juvenile Release: The First Juvenile Release. mug.That one family who can afford eating out, vacations, purchasing a new car, buying LEGO sets, action figures, textbooks, and DVDs, yet somehow still too broke to afford buying any new gaming console beyond PS1.
The Sherbrooke family is such family with selective affordability — they've got all the LEGO sets, action figures, textbooks, and DVDs but still rock a broken PS1 with no replacement like it's the latest console!
by Emotional Cruiser September 20, 2025
Get the family with selective affordability mug.Refers to da random meal-choice dat ya make in cases where you aren't familiar wif da types of offerings at a particular restaurant, often due to either da diner's being foreign-cuisine themed (i.e., Italian, Chinese, Hawaiian, etc.) or your not being accustomed to eating out in da fist place, and so instead of either asking yer friend who's treating you to choose "something tasty" for you or puzzling over da laminated dinner-options folder yerself, you just "enter default mode" or "go old school" by simply looking around at what meals other patrons are gleefully stuffing their cheeks wif, and then asking da waiter to serve you some of whatever dish looks/smells da best on said other folks' table.
My warm-natured tomboy friend Desiree took me out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant as a thank-you reward for my being such a helpfully-supportive friend to her; I wasn't accustomed to dat type of "savory 'n' spicy" fare, however, so I just observed a number of fellow diners' partaking of similar copiously-steaming and delicious-aromaed offerings, and then after my friend had ordered, I made a copycat menu-selection when asked which dish I wanted for myself.
by QuacksO December 31, 2025
Get the copycat menu-selection mug.by aar0n January 2, 2005
Get the selec mug.Selct luscious, succulent, succumb to, transter, transfer nice niche, photos flickr, time as, where appropriate.
by Hercolena Oliver July 10, 2010
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