Viewquake

A viewquake is a term coined by economist Robin Hanson in 2010 to describe an "insight that dramatically changes one's worldview, making one see the world in a new way." These insights are significant because they go to the heart of fundamental concepts, altering how someone thinks about a wide range of topics.
Etymology
Robin Hanson coined the term "viewquake" in an interview in 2010, although he had been using the term a few times before. In the interview, Hanson explained that a viewquake refers to an insight that "really changes how you think about a wide range of things, that goes to the heart of important things." He typified these insights as intellectual shifts that redefine one's current understanding about a variety of things. and Kent P. Kimbrough.
Examples
In the interview, Hanson shared some examples of viewquakes from his own experiences across different fields. In physics, learning about relativity, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics provided Hanson with deep insights that, while counterintuitive, helped him understand the world from different angles. In computer science, concepts like modularity and abstraction allowed him to manage complexity in vastly new ways. In economics, basic concepts such as supply and demand, incentives, and rationality provided similarly powerful insights.
A particularly impactful viewquake for Hanson was the realization that rational actors who are trying to be honest may still unknowingly disagree due to irrational factors, a notion that significantly challenged his previous views on human behavior and disagreement. Another thought-provoking viewquake that Hanson experienced, stipulates how the future and past differ from the present to a similar extent. This realization highlights the unpredictability and diversity of future-outcomes.<ref name=":0" />

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