PMOS shows us why many scientific terms need to be renamed
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What do researchers in artificial intelligence, medicine and climate change have in common? They could all learn something from Rumpelstiltskin’s story. As the fairy tale teaches us, knowing the “true name” of a thing, an ancient concept from folklore, gives us power over that thing.
Although it doesn’t sound very scientific, psychologists have repeatedly found that your name changes the way people perceive you. The same can be true for scientific terms. Take “artificial intelligence” for example: while the technology is undeniably impressive, much of the drama around AI could have been avoided if we had used the less grandiose name “machine learning.”
Of course, there is no such thing as a “true name” in the folk sense, but it is clear that some names are better than others. In recent years, there have been efforts to move away from disease names that stigmatize particular groups, with the Wuhan coronavirus quickly being referred to as covid-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO), which also renamed monkeypox to mpox in 2022.
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“Net zero” is a term that has lost its true meaning
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Other name changes correct errors, such as renaming polycystic ovary syndrome to polyendocrine metabolic ovary syndrome to reflect the true cause of the disease.
The name change process is not always successful. While early research on the influence of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels referred to the “greenhouse effect” or “global warming,” scientists and the general public are now more likely to talk about “climate change,” reflecting broader impacts beyond temperature. Meanwhile, “net zero,” once a technical term, has lost its true meaning and is often used by opponents to mean “an environmental policy I don’t like.”
So, what makes a name change successful? It creates a clear picture, which is why artificial intelligence wins over machine learning. A top-down approach from an authority like the WHO is also helpful. But above all, some names are simply catchier. Although it’s a bit of a tongue twister, you’ll never forget Rumpelstiltskin.
