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MENTAL MODEL · M2238

Stigler's Law of Eponymy

Stigler's Law of Eponymy
CollaborateHigh supportCommunication Studies
Included
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer. (Even this law itself is Stigler citing Merton's discovery.) -

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

The Matthew effect of credit attribution. - The Gaussian distribution was not first discovered by Gauss, and Hubble's law was not first discovered by Hubble. Credit often flows to those who are already famous or best at summarizing and popularizing, rather than the earliest discoverers. This reminds us: in the workplace and academia, 'doing' is important, but 'defining' and 'disseminating' may determine credit attribution more.

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Anchor fast decisions

Stigler jokingly states that no scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer, because later retellings or popularizations often lead to naming after others. It reveals the historical misattribution of authorship.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

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    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stigler's_law_of_eponymyZH · Explicit
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