Chairs i think what you call knowledge expansion used to be known as gullibility in the old currency.
The way science comes to conclusions is it strip's away from all the "what ifs" and "maybes" in a methodical process of reductionism until it comes to a bit of a hump in the road. That hump then becomes best practice until future efforts create a new pathway for development.
But if you want to open your idea of "best practice" up to include every fanciful idea imaginable, go for it. No question, some great art has been born out of that approach. Arguably, the occasional technological innovation may also have been born that way?
I just wouldn't want to swallow a pill or get in a rocket designed that way. Too risky.
If we don't follow the long history of checks and measures we have at our disposal, we are starting from scratch every time. We would have no internet, no wireless technology, no cheap international travel to name a few.
All of these would have been cut short by people arguing that they were scared of innovation, knew someone whose brother or sister had a bad experience with this stuff, and had a better idea they heard in a coffee shop somewhere.
