I agree. The distinction I am trying to draw here is keeping the perspective of the layperson moving from zero to moderate understanding; I expect the researchers themselves to. . . sort of maintain the ‘direction’ of their understanding but deepen or broaden it along the way, if that makes sense.
But furthering your point, there are also a bunch of cases where common wisdom has a belief, which is basically correct, about which research is totally silent (or was until pretty recently). I have in mind here mundane findings like the physics of tying your shoes. This is mostly because researchers did not think it worth their time to investigate.
I agree. The distinction I am trying to draw here is keeping the perspective of the layperson moving from zero to moderate understanding; I expect the researchers themselves to. . . sort of maintain the ‘direction’ of their understanding but deepen or broaden it along the way, if that makes sense.
But furthering your point, there are also a bunch of cases where common wisdom has a belief, which is basically correct, about which research is totally silent (or was until pretty recently). I have in mind here mundane findings like the physics of tying your shoes. This is mostly because researchers did not think it worth their time to investigate.