One of the great strengths of science, yet a sometimes troubling one for those involved in science, is that as scientists continue to accumulate more knowledge, some of our older "confident" precepts are weakened, modified, or even discarded. The strength in this is that change is allowed to occur when that change gives us a more accurate and parsimonious explanation of the material universe. We need not (must not) cling to outdated and disproven concepts and paradigms when they have been shown to lack accuracy and explanatory power—especially so when alternate new concepts and paradigms are formulated that provide a better objective fit with reality. There have been, and continue to be, minor and major changes necessitated by new discoveries and data, and one must "keep up" in order to be current in the numerous scientific disciplines. This applies not only in cutting-edge research, where small changes come at a rapid pace, but also to the broader areas of knowledge where those of us who teach in undergraduate courses are responsible for maintaining "currency."
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