Problem : science and religion done by the same "scientists"
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Hi Trent, as a psychologist you might have an opinion in such a case: newer science invalidates older: how to handle such an event not offending old "scientists" who still believe they are right.
Is it possible at all or one has to wait till the old guys die out...
It happened in RW where when Einsteinian gravitation replaced Wheeler's (with its Wheelerian creation of energy from nothing) the folks in RW don't want to accept Einstein's relativity of time and stick to the old Big Bang stuff arguing with me that I must be an idot supporting Einstein with his eternal universe that turned out to be correct Einstein's prediction. And making it even worse, they kept deleteing my essay about it, which made me a little bit nervous and I started not behaving as a coolbloded scientist should. Which I regret but more I care about an answer from a psychologist.
The RW mainspace is not the place to publish your unified theory, we have a respect for science and expertise derived from billions of man hours of the collective work of the scientific community. In other words, expect the peer reviewed scientific consensus to dominate RW articles. The essay space is another matter, and there was a bit of an issue there but I think its resolved.
As for altering existing theories within the scientific community, Thomas Kuhn is the place to turn (with some caveats). But basically for a major shift to occur there have to be an increasing number of problems with existing theories or questions that can not be answered, and the proposed alternative must answer all questions the old model did plus make major in roads into the new questions. Or in other words, your idea has to be better than the old idea.
While individual scientist maybe reticent or have a vested interest the scientific community will eventually see the light. Check out the story of the Helicobacter pylori and stomach ulcers. Evidence wins out in the end.
If an idea is not sound, is not better than existing ideas, and can not make specific predictions which can be tested, then it rightfully will not surpass established theories.