I may feel smug if the “novel idea” is basically a worse version of an existing one, but there are more interesting possibilities to probe for.
The novel idea is a meaningful extension/generalization of an existing concept. E.g., Riemann --> Lebesgue integration
The novel idea is equivalent to an existing concept but formulated differently. E.g., Newton and Leibniz versions of calculus.
The novel idea is a more detailed explanation of an existing concept. E.g., chemical bonding --> molecular orbital theory.
Less likely to be rounded away:
The novel idea overlaps with existing concepts but is neither a subset nor an extension. E.g., General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics.
The novel idea applies existing concepts to a new domain. E.g., applying information theory to DNA.
The novel idea synthesizes multiple existing concepts into a greater whole. E.g., Darwinian evolution as a combination of Malthusian population dynamics and natural variation.
The novel idea provides a unifying framework for previously disconnected concepts. E.g., Maxwell’s equations unifying electricity, magnetism, and optics.
Nearly all conceptual rounding errors will not be anything as grand as the extreme examples I gave, but often there is still something worth examining.
I may feel smug if the “novel idea” is basically a worse version of an existing one, but there are more interesting possibilities to probe for.
The novel idea is a meaningful extension/generalization of an existing concept. E.g., Riemann --> Lebesgue integration
The novel idea is equivalent to an existing concept but formulated differently. E.g., Newton and Leibniz versions of calculus.
The novel idea is a more detailed explanation of an existing concept. E.g., chemical bonding --> molecular orbital theory.
Less likely to be rounded away:
The novel idea overlaps with existing concepts but is neither a subset nor an extension. E.g., General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics.
The novel idea applies existing concepts to a new domain. E.g., applying information theory to DNA.
The novel idea synthesizes multiple existing concepts into a greater whole. E.g., Darwinian evolution as a combination of Malthusian population dynamics and natural variation.
The novel idea provides a unifying framework for previously disconnected concepts. E.g., Maxwell’s equations unifying electricity, magnetism, and optics.
Nearly all conceptual rounding errors will not be anything as grand as the extreme examples I gave, but often there is still something worth examining.