Discoveries are Accidental: Yes or No?

Replies

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  crazyaddiction

  totally agree !!! but not always, but i dont undestand why all these are not happening these days !!!
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  rishi0922

  It is true that some of the discoveries are accidental but most of them discovered intentionally.
  
  Most of the researchers had something in their mind they are searching for but a strange thing happened that intend to be a side effect of their work. Sometimes that side effect proved to be useful in our daily life and named accidental.
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  3011

  Actually till we don't search for answer of an question, how we can get answer to another one (which leads to a discovery). So, according to my point of view discoveries are not completely accidental. In some cases it may happen, because exception is everywhere.
  That's why it is said,
  * "When a man forgets himself, he usually does something that everyone else remembers!" * 😛
  
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  Ankita Katdare

  Great Line Agent 3011 😀
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  shreyasm89

  Discoveries may be accidental but we are forgetting the fact that making a discovery is just a start. In fact most of the times the discovery in its initial phase is just a 'phenomemnon' that takes place. (e.g. discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen) It takes a great deal of hard work & more research to finally make sense of this new discovery & develop it for use in applications.
  And I think engg. is more about inventions rather than discoveries. Just yesterday I learnt from one of my friends that "discoveries" cannot be patented. So whats the big deal about about them?😉
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  raj87verma88

  Depends on the circumstances. I will call the discovery of America accident as it was not the purpose of Columbus. On the other hand, while the discovery of the principals of buoyancy may look like an accident in the bath tub, we cannot deny the fact that Archimedes was pondering on a problem and the discovery came as an answer to the it. Can that be termed an accident? Depends on your perspective.
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  3011

  We can't say that discoveries are fully accidental because Columbus find America, only and only when he goes for travel. So, how we can say it accidental. Because it was one of the results of his effort, it does not matter that the results are according to his will or not. But if he does then he found something, then, how it is accidental.
  For example while making a program in any language like C,C++,Java etc. may be we come to find any new logic or u can say any discovery, then what would you say it "accidental"?. No it couldn't to be said accidental because we find the logic because we try the program.
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  raj87verma88

  It was an accident because Columbus thought he had entered Asia as he wanted to and he called the inhabitants Indios (Spanish for Indians). It was much later that people knew that it was a new land. If you read again, I said it depends on the circumstances and the perspective of the person.
  Discoveries like Fire, Agriculture, Penicillin, Potato Chips, Curds, Microwave, Popsicles, Brandy, Vaseline, Stainless Steel, etc have been accidents
  The first fire it is believed was due to lightening storms. It was later that man learned to use it. He never tried to invent it.
  Curd was discovered when people used to go for long rides, they took milk in a flask made of bladder. If left in it for long time, the milk turned into curd. It was later that man learned that it could be eaten. There are many examples