Theory of Selectable Paradigms

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.*

Theory of Selectable Paradigms by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 6, 2026