Scouts view anomalies as puzzle pieces
When anomalies are encountered that do not fit within a paradigm, scouts collect it as a datapoint that is filed away for future reference. Though it cannot be predicted in advance, when enough anomalies are collected, the new picture (paradigm) suddenly comes into view.
Scouts view anomalies as puzzle pieces to collect as you go through the world. You probably won’t know what to do with them at first. But if you hang on to them, you may find that they add up to a richer picture of the world than you had before. As Isaac Asimov reportedly said: “The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not ‘Eureka’ but ‘That’s funny . . .’”[1]
See also:
- Paradigms change when they can no longer address anomalies
- Paradigm changes are preceded by awareness and recognition
- Scouts frequently update their maps
The Scout Mindset – Galef (2021), ch. 11. ↩︎