CHARACTERISTICS OF A CONTEMPORARY SCIENTIST. "Scientists Are Made and not Born"
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ABBAS EL-TA'ALU
Feb 28, 2008, 7:34:29 AM2/28/08
to Science and Politics
Publised on 26th February, 2008,
by 'The Free Library'
http://www.thefreelibrary
Philosophically, science is the highest, deepest and absolute
form of knowledge. It includes within itself cognitive theories and
laws of reality, as well as their explanations. The importance of
science in the development of our civilizations continuously rises and
it is difficult to overestimate. Scientific discoveries changed and
continue to change the world in which human beings live. A scientist
is thus, a person that engages in scientific activities. What are then
the qualities that a person must possess in order to become a
scientist? We can here talk of 1. those qualities necessary for
carrying out a research and getting a reliable information ? results,
2. his moral and ethical characteristics as a person, and 3. as
already known, a real scientist normally becomes a leader of a
scientific group. So, we can also talk of a scientist as a head, as a
teacher of young scientists.
Let us begin with what some say about science and scientists:
"One thing I have learned in long life: that all our science,
measured
against reality, is primitive and childlike... and yet it is the most
precious thing we have."
~ Albert Einstein ~
(1879 - 1955).
"Science keeps moving us away from apes. Of course, if one wants to be
an ape, one objects to the movement."
~ Dan Agin ~
"Every great scientific truth goes through three stages. First,
people
say it conflicts with the scripture books. Next they say it had been
discovered before. Lastly they say they always believed it"
~ Louis Agassiz ~
(1807 - 1877)
"There is no national science just as there is no national
multiplication
table; what is national is no longer science."
~ Anton Chekhov ~
(1860 - 1904)
In order for one to engage himself in any scientific
activities, there must be love for knowledge; desire to explore
reality. These help a scientist overcome difficulties. Apart from
these, there must be an independent mode of thinking, so that one
adequately values what has been done by predecessors. This quality is
as well important when choosing research topics and setting up
research objectives, that would demand realising. Independent way of
thinking is necessary when defining research methods, and sorting out
obtained experimental results.
To achieve the above mentioned qualities, there must be a
mental outlook: the ability to think ahead and analyse; to clearly
plan separate steps of one's research, so that the experiment can be
recarried out by others. One should sufficiently be self-critical in
his approaches, so that he objectively values what he does, listen to
remarks and observations; sometimes accept mistakes. In this respect,
one should be persistent, hardworking, studious, detail-oriented,
intelligent, exacting, and patient, so as to defend his points of view
and move ahead, irrespective of failures that may come across. One
should always be optimistic and not pessimistic, look ahead and
believe in success.
Looking at the moral and ethical sides of a scientist's
personality, I think he must be distinguished by his modesty and
honesty. He must respect the opinion of others irrespective of his
personal relationships to the opponents. A scientist, in my opinion,
must be friendly and attentive to others, as nowadays, a researcher
works in the company of others.The company in which a scientist works
is usually made up of people of different generations. 'The times of
solitary genuis are now a history'. Most important in this our time,
is the creation of a scientific school, like the ones of the
physicists Lv Landauy and Yoffe, or that of the neurophysiologist Ivan
Petrovich Pavlov. In such companies, a head is not only an instructor
of the young generation, but also an interesting friend, comrade, and
even a brother. Pavlov, for example, had never suppressed the skills,
or belittled the efforts of his disciples, never demanded the
execution of his ideas, , nor insisted on quick experimental results,
but helped find out ways of solving scientific problems, developed the
independence and creative activities of his young colleagues.
I, perhaps described ideal qualities of a modern scientist. Have you
ever in your life met with such a scientist?
by 'The Free Library'
http://www.thefreelibrary
Philosophically, science is the highest, deepest and absolute
form of knowledge. It includes within itself cognitive theories and
laws of reality, as well as their explanations. The importance of
science in the development of our civilizations continuously rises and
it is difficult to overestimate. Scientific discoveries changed and
continue to change the world in which human beings live. A scientist
is thus, a person that engages in scientific activities. What are then
the qualities that a person must possess in order to become a
scientist? We can here talk of 1. those qualities necessary for
carrying out a research and getting a reliable information ? results,
2. his moral and ethical characteristics as a person, and 3. as
already known, a real scientist normally becomes a leader of a
scientific group. So, we can also talk of a scientist as a head, as a
teacher of young scientists.
Let us begin with what some say about science and scientists:
"One thing I have learned in long life: that all our science,
measured
against reality, is primitive and childlike... and yet it is the most
precious thing we have."
~ Albert Einstein ~
(1879 - 1955).
"Science keeps moving us away from apes. Of course, if one wants to be
an ape, one objects to the movement."
~ Dan Agin ~
"Every great scientific truth goes through three stages. First,
people
say it conflicts with the scripture books. Next they say it had been
discovered before. Lastly they say they always believed it"
~ Louis Agassiz ~
(1807 - 1877)
"There is no national science just as there is no national
multiplication
table; what is national is no longer science."
~ Anton Chekhov ~
(1860 - 1904)
In order for one to engage himself in any scientific
activities, there must be love for knowledge; desire to explore
reality. These help a scientist overcome difficulties. Apart from
these, there must be an independent mode of thinking, so that one
adequately values what has been done by predecessors. This quality is
as well important when choosing research topics and setting up
research objectives, that would demand realising. Independent way of
thinking is necessary when defining research methods, and sorting out
obtained experimental results.
To achieve the above mentioned qualities, there must be a
mental outlook: the ability to think ahead and analyse; to clearly
plan separate steps of one's research, so that the experiment can be
recarried out by others. One should sufficiently be self-critical in
his approaches, so that he objectively values what he does, listen to
remarks and observations; sometimes accept mistakes. In this respect,
one should be persistent, hardworking, studious, detail-oriented,
intelligent, exacting, and patient, so as to defend his points of view
and move ahead, irrespective of failures that may come across. One
should always be optimistic and not pessimistic, look ahead and
believe in success.
Looking at the moral and ethical sides of a scientist's
personality, I think he must be distinguished by his modesty and
honesty. He must respect the opinion of others irrespective of his
personal relationships to the opponents. A scientist, in my opinion,
must be friendly and attentive to others, as nowadays, a researcher
works in the company of others.The company in which a scientist works
is usually made up of people of different generations. 'The times of
solitary genuis are now a history'. Most important in this our time,
is the creation of a scientific school, like the ones of the
physicists Lv Landauy and Yoffe, or that of the neurophysiologist Ivan
Petrovich Pavlov. In such companies, a head is not only an instructor
of the young generation, but also an interesting friend, comrade, and
even a brother. Pavlov, for example, had never suppressed the skills,
or belittled the efforts of his disciples, never demanded the
execution of his ideas, , nor insisted on quick experimental results,
but helped find out ways of solving scientific problems, developed the
independence and creative activities of his young colleagues.
I, perhaps described ideal qualities of a modern scientist. Have you
ever in your life met with such a scientist?
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