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The reception given to Kimura's radical theory of molecular evolution shows that when ______ fights orthodoxy to a draw, then novelty has seized a good chunk of space from convention.

Options to choose from for the blank (for brevity, was able to rule out the others):

  1. dogmatism
  2. invention

The word radical means 'extreme'. So, can it be associated with dogmatism? Because a person who is radical does not listen to the conventions (or others who gainsay).

Or shall we simply associate invention, for we are talking about a 'new' theory in molecular evolution?

How should we interpret the latter part of the sentence to bring it to help?

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    They're looking for invention there, as contrasted with orthodoxy.
    – Robusto
    Commented Mar 3, 2015 at 14:10
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    The second part of the sentence gives the explanatory parallel contrast between novelty and convention. Also, dogma fighting orthodoxy sounds like two of the same kind.
    – Mitch
    Commented Mar 3, 2015 at 14:51
  • Invention and dogmatism are two entirely different things -- virtual opposites.
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Mar 3, 2015 at 14:52
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    @Mitch - Sadly, dogma fighting orthodoxy is all too common.
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Mar 3, 2015 at 14:54
  • So the latter part means, 'novelty' has dominated convention? And @Mitch, I agree when you say that 'dogmatism' can not be it as it has to be against 'orthodoxy' (to fight) not like/with it..
    – Vaibhav
    Commented Mar 3, 2015 at 15:03

1 Answer 1

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'Invention' would fight 'orthodoxy' before 'dogmatism'.

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  • But how did the orthodoxy get in front of the dogmatism to begin with?
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Mar 3, 2015 at 14:53
  • Orthodoxy and dogmatism — in my eyes — have a lot more in common than invention does with either of them.
    – Amir Šabanović
    Commented Mar 3, 2015 at 15:02

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