Fringe Theories

Gradowski, Laura (2026) Fringe Theories. UNSPECIFIED. Abstract The term ‘fringe’ is often used to disparage or dismiss a theory as unserious, or obviously false. By contrast, this paper outlines an account that is neutral about the epistemic status of fringe theories. Historical precedent suggests that intolerance towards fringe theories can even be epistemically harmful to science itself. Several theories across the sciences were initially ridiculed and dismissed as fringe, delaying the uptake.