Accidental Scientific Discoveries

Recognition of almost all logical truths takes at least some effort, as one must actively reason something out even if the initial thoughts were not intended to head in the direction they eventually go in.  Scientific observations, on the other hand, can occur on an almost completely passive level, with no effort beyond merely watching a phenomenon being exerted.  This is not to say that science itself is a thoughtless pursuit, but that genuine scientific progress can be made haphazardly.

There is still a difference between finding a scientific correlation or side effect when one was looking for something else and finding a scientific phenomenon without any forethought at all--and both can happen.  While it does require at least some minimal intellectual effort to reason out the seeming nature of a correlation, scientific discoveries differ from purely logical discoveries in that the former can occur completely by accident, as is even the case when an elaborate experiment produces wholly unexpected outcomes.  A great deal of intentionality can certainly be put behind scientific endeavors, but this does not have to be the case.

Indeed, even several scientific discoveries recorded in history were not made because of predicted results.  The person who recognizes an alternate usage for a medicine or sees an unpredicted side effect of some other kind of experiment may even have arrived at highly valuable information, for, thankfully, the significance of an empirical finding may have nothing to do with the sort of reaction given to that finding.  To dismiss a result simply because it was not the priority--or because it was not expected at all--is a disservice to science.

Whether it is in our daily lives or in environments where we might be intentionally observing a particular set of phenomena, the unexpected should be taken as seriously as scientific discoveries that only came about due to planned analysis.  That something was not predicted does not denote a lower level of importance by default, as those who benefit from accidental discoveries can learn from direct experience.  Science is quite capable of taking one by surprise even when it comes to a relatively important discovery.