Difference between revisions of "Expert Error"
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*Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM in the 1960s, believed there would never be a market for more than a handful of computers in the entire world. | *Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM in the 1960s, believed there would never be a market for more than a handful of computers in the entire world. | ||
*Irving Fisher, professor of economics at Yale, believed in 1929 that stock prices would never decrease. | *Irving Fisher, professor of economics at Yale, believed in 1929 that stock prices would never decrease. | ||
| + | *Philipp von Jolly, professor for physics and mathematics at the University of Munich, advised [[Max Planck]] in 1874 not to study physics as almost everything was already discovered, and all that remained was to fill a few unimportant holes. | ||
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(add more) | (add more) | ||
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==See also== | ==See also== | ||
*[[Scientific progress]] | *[[Scientific progress]] | ||
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| + | == References == | ||
| + | <references /> | ||
Revision as of 14:46, December 25, 2009
Expert Error consists of serious errors by recognized experts about scientific or engineering theories or possibilities. We start with examples:
- Lord Kelvin claiming heavier than air flight, radio, and radioactivity were impossible.[1]
- Albert Einstein thought nuclear power would never be commercially viable.
- Leading scientists recommending around 1900 that the United States Patent Office should be abolished because everything useful had been invented.
- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM in the 1960s, believed there would never be a market for more than a handful of computers in the entire world.
- Irving Fisher, professor of economics at Yale, believed in 1929 that stock prices would never decrease.
- Philipp von Jolly, professor for physics and mathematics at the University of Munich, advised Max Planck in 1874 not to study physics as almost everything was already discovered, and all that remained was to fill a few unimportant holes.
(add more)