Round about the accredited and orderly facts of every science there ever floats a sort of dust-cloud of exceptional observations, of occurrences minute and irregular and seldom met with, which it always proves more easy to ignore than to attend to... Anyone will renovate his science who will steadily look after the irregular phenomena, and when science is renewed, its new formulas often have more of the voice of the exceptions in them than of what were supposed to be the rules.

Summary

This quote, by philosopher and psychologist William James, emphasizes the importance of paying attention to irregular and exceptional phenomena within scientific observations. James suggests that these occurrences, although often overlooked, hold valuable insights that can lead to the renewal and advancement of scientific knowledge. When scientists actively examine and consider these exceptions, they may discover new patterns or formulate innovative theories that challenge existing rules or norms. Therefore, James encourages the continual exploration and analysis of exceptional observations as a means to evolve and expand scientific understanding.

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