EVALUATING HETERODOX THEORIES

Active and heterogeneous disciplines constantly spawn new theories and theoretical variants. By definition, each such offering is heterodox to the degree that its veracity would diminish accepted theories. Most often heterodox theories are dismissed out of hand for nonrational re asons, such that they just seem too bizarre. Most of the time, too, ra tional analysis supports such rejection. Of course, many important the ories in science once seemed bizarre but later were accepted as eviden ce accumulated for them and against received views. But the lag betwee n a premature rejection and ultimate acceptance is an inefficiency bui lt into the theory evaluation process. Is there a way to reduce this i nefficiency? Through examining a heterodox sociological exemplar, we d iscuss the standards to which such theories should be held in order to deserve (1) hearings in their relevant disciplines, (2) serious atten tion, and (3) assignment of a high likelihood of being true.