I'm doing Science because..
Amit Mandal
Thursday, 29 November 2007 17:27 UTC
This is intended to start a stimulating discussion..
The question is → “Why am I doing Science?”
The answer would be very obvious and may be cliched if we ask this to a science student in school. But for all Graduate (PhD) students and Post Docs and Faculties engaged in research who have to meet daily deadlines, squeeze the last waking second into the lab and in all this miss out many of the joys of life, What is that driving force that keeps us engaged in scientific research???
I’ve seen many variants of the answer and hence posing this question for open discussion. For me, science is an instrument for social change and betterment. Should in my career, I be able to decipher the mechanism of any genetic disease {I’m a Graduate student of genomics} I’ll feel satisfied and fortunate.
This drives me, What drives you? What are your answers for the question..
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Anonymous
Science is by and large driven by ego. I am in science is to satisfy my ego.
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I am a Ph.D. student of astronomy and astrophysics. I found this question in the topic really interesting, more interesting are the reactions and the answers. I happen to work in a brach of science that can not bring any immediate social change and betterment of mankind. And the first thing I learned is that the cosmos is so vast and so full of wonders that personal achievement has no significance. So, then, what is it that works as a driving force? I feel it is the Wanderlust, the strong desire to explore (in group or alone), that has always been there behind the progress of science. It does not really matter, I think, who first realized the Special Theory of Relativity or whether the theory has any contribution to the betterment of the society. It does not even matter even if I, as an individual, do not understand all these theories to the proper extent. Whether it was Einstein alone who formulated the theory or if Lorentz and Poincare also had significant contribution may be of interest for a student of history of science. But for me, I am proud that we know part of the secret of Nature and we are exploring for more. Nature, thus, reveals her secrets to us and when I am “doing science”, I feel that that I am also part of this adventure, a small crew member but quite involved rather than being a mere spectator.
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I have mix feeling of many things. Initially when I came in science by accident, after my first publication I got feeling of recognition and direction to my life. I though if I die my scientific contribution will be their in literature. Slowly, I start to solve biological problems during this time I learn more and more about my body. My continuos increasing knowledge about biological system give me lot pleasure. Over the time my work (database/server) become very popular and I got another satisfaction that I am contributing to society. So for me science is my diet wher it give my lot of happiness in various ways. I feel am leaving complete life as science give my lot of mental satisfaction.
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Because I can not let my thought processes go random but inherently I want to put them in a order to see what comes out and this process in present society is called as ‘doing science’ and hence I am doing science.
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Different things drive different people. But at the end of the day, one can only do something for a lifetime if one has passion for it.
Genetics / molecular biology is equally interesting as is physics and physics is as equally intresting as is nanotechnology which is as intresting as any other similar discipline…for that matter even pure mathematics….At a deeper level, all these disciplines merge and try to answer the mother of all questions, which is ‘what is life’…And as Albert Einstein put it….‘I want to know God’s thoughts, the rest are details’!!!
One could pursue science purely for the passion…and I have felt it at times….While understanding critical concepts in Genetics, I have felt that, the only words that could have described my feeling were intellectual orgasms!
One could pursue science for the pleasure it gives you in the satisfaction that your involvment in science contributed in making the world a better place. That your life meant something…….that your life made a difference….howsoever small….that a concept was understood, discovered or invented because you did it! I think this is reason enough to go all guns for it….
On a more philosophical level, a deeper involvment in science helps you to understand you purpose in life, your place in this universe, where did you come from and where will you go after this life…and whether evolution makes sense or it is just a very clever design..It is a very noble thought that you would want to discover the mechanism for a genetic disorder and all the best with that….
But on a more realistic tone, (and by no means I want to sound cynical) when you struggle with having a family, children, expenses, jealosy that my freind from college has a bigger house and a bigger car than you have got….you tend to redefine the paradigms of your professional ambitions……(and mind you I have no children and no jealosy (cause I have a nice sports car!!)
But thats all the more reason that like minded people should communicate and interact to keep this passion and motivation for science alive!!
Kudos to your question..
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