This is about old pre-plague book "Letters to a Young Scientist," article from 2015.
E.O. Wilson on Becoming a Great Scientist
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Re: E.O. Wilson on Becoming a Great Scientist
#12Ramon y Cajal's "advice to a young investigator" is still quite good as well: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/advice-young-investigator
Although he suggests that the best thing a female scientist can do is be a good helper to her husband! He was a man of his times, to be sure.
Re: E.O. Wilson on Becoming a Great Scientist
#13This is fascinating because it never mentions the role of publishing in the field of science. There is a huge pressure to "publish or perish" which seems at odds with much of the advice given here.
one can always follow Einstein' path, get a job and doodle your equations in your spare time.
Re: E.O. Wilson on Becoming a Great Scientist
#14This is fascinating because it never mentions the role of publishing in the field of science. There is a huge pressure to "publish or perish" which seems at odds with much of the advice given here.
It's from a time when the university system worked better. Now, to be a Real Scientist, you have to hire someone to churn out the meaningless papers for you or not be an academic- just be independently wealthy and stick your results on your website.
Re: E.O. Wilson on Becoming a Great Scientist
#15Hamming's lectures are great in highlighting the challenges young scientists face and the importance of political acuity
Re: E.O. Wilson on Becoming a Great Scientist
#16Well, it is good advice, but you also have to keep in mind that it has become a lot more competitive since the time that E.O. Wilson became a Harvard professor. He grew up in the age of an expanding faculty, not competing with the entire world for a professorship, and let's just say... a world interested in the lives of ants. Not to cast any doubt whatsoever on his impressive scholarship and advances for the public g…
Second this. I read a few chapters of the book and put it down. I was quite disappointed by its irrelevancy to the current state of the academia. Nothing against his time. It's just that the world has changed dramatically.
Really? What made you think that? For example, the first “lesson” is to find a scientific niche early that will be hot in 5-10 years.
This seems like decent enough advice to a young scientist.
Re: E.O. Wilson on Becoming a Great Scientist
#17Rule 1 : NEVER question the leftist narrative.
Re: E.O. Wilson on Becoming a Great Scientist
#18I love when the comment section gives me more good reading material than the original post. Kudos to the community!
Re: E.O. Wilson on Becoming a Great Scientist
#19Ramon y Cajal's "advice to a young investigator" is still quite good as well: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/advice-young-investigator
Although he suggests that the best thing a female scientist can do is be a good helper to her husband! He was a man of his times, to be sure.
Yes he was. 'Man of his times' is a good phrase. I wonder how the behaviour of moralizers of today who castigate those in the past, often with little or no appreciation of the mores of their period, will be viewed in a couple of hundred years time.
Re: E.O. Wilson on Becoming a Great Scientist
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
Second this. I read a few chapters of the book and put it down. I was quite disappointed by its irrelevancy to the current state of the academia. Nothing against his time. It's just that the world has changed dramatically.
Really? What made you think that? For example, the first “lesson” is to find a scientific niche early that will be hot in 5-10 years. This seems like decent enough advice to a young scientist.
My advice is to only buy the winning lottery tickets and to stop wasting it on the losing tickets.