Guarding Your Turf

The transcript discusses Velikovsky's struggle to have his theories accepted by mainstream scientific and historical communities. After being rebuffed, he capitalized on the counterculture movement to establish his own network and system. This involved creating journals and maintaining orthodoxy within his community. The concept of Mimesis is introduced, highlighting how fringe groups develop research programs and secure funding. The challenges of maintaining legitimacy on the fringe are explored, emphasizing the need to guard borders and be aggressive in defending one's position. The dynamics of fringe communities are examined, noting the common phenomenon of each group viewing others as pseudo while considering themselves legitimate.

What is the significance of maintaining orthodoxy within a particular scientific camp?

How do fringe scientific communities guard their borders against theories they perceive as illegitimate?