Science falls short of itself, nowadays.

We possess in-depth explanations for various realistic phenomena, but lack a cohesive theory of everything which explains all of nature. This stems from a limited, deductive approach to science which prioritizes data and information —

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Not creative, holistic thinking.

Create your future, don’t get lucky.

• Embrace bold conjectures: Think outside the box; don’t use what is in it — only.

• Set careful assumptions: When science-ing, use conditions scarcely.

• Test ideas into theories: Validate everything your hypothesize.

We need to break free from deduction-centric science to find better theories. Like Hawking's carpet-inspired revelation, breakthroughs often demand imaginative leaps, not simply logical extrapolations from existing knowledge.

This is where physicist David Deutsch's work is so refreshing. He argues that we should frame science as knowledge creation rather than mere discovery. This shift has profound implications.

Science is built on assumptions. To create truly groundbreaking knowledge, we must:

• Question everything → set good assumptions

• Test relentlessly → shed bad assumptions

Deutsch's philosophy champions 'first principles' thinking – an approach that minimizes assumptions (or the setting of initial conditions for ideation).

This is for the better, since it enables a broad and expansive toolkit with which to approach problems. I love this idea, that realistically, life is infinitely possible. This moment represents one data point of it. I exist in a corner of this aspect of the vast quantum wave function where infinite possibilities exist.

A slice of reality’s pie.

The distinction between knowledge creation and discovery is deceptive, minute. However, I’m confident the small, semantic, and highly assumptive change can unlock a big difference in scientific value. Our assumptions are largely how we reason, and thus they determine the set of our possible solutions in any given context.

Creation over discovery, this one word difference, leaps across the chasm of possibilities between finite, constrained thinking and recognizing infinite possibilities.

It opens up the plane of science to a new idea:

This doesn’t always work the way I think.

Now, how can I explain how it is working?

Consider the nested reductionism of modern science: biology is explained by chemistry, and chemistry by physics. But at the base of physics, we can’t simply dissect existing parts – a leap of creation is needed. Human creativity produces ideas, and science validates them.

This is how we push boundaries.

This is scaling the mountain of Science.

Creating breakthrough science, new science, needs intellectual honesty.

The mental and constructive space to reason bravely. With the facts, the lack of their consistencies, etc. It’s almost a pre-condition to thinking — the radical objectivity and indifferent analysis — which enables sincere and serious scientific thinking.

Great scientists, those who change the game, are incredibly rare. Understanding this rarity is vital in shaping our own assumptions and encouraging bold ideation. The philosophy of knowledge creation is infallible — it still tests its ideas, just like discovery. However, the forest for invention gets far more densely populated; lots more game to hunt for scientific thinkers, not just a few deer that we’ve chanced upon so far (like evolution stumbling on an oasis).

We change how we see scientific progress.

Evolution itself is a powerful, creative force of nature.

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