Welcome to kernels.
A collection of thoughts on: science; training scientists; the process of discovery.
Doing a PhD wasn’t really a plan of mine, per se. However, there was a spark and complicity between myself and the enterpise. As with many other fellow scientist (and non-scientists alike), it is a path in life* that is born out of an intense curiosity, a tendency to ask ‘why’ too often, and, perhaps, a personality type which is somewhat obtuse.
Disclaimer & Precision
To put it bluntly, I am disappointed.
However:
I believe that the scientific enterprise is the best way to understand the world / universe (we perhaps have not the tools for all the question, nor wisdom to know those questions, yet).
Using science, being scientific etc. etc., is how we are going to solve many real world problems, in our lifetime.
Despite coming across as disillusioned, even spiteful, I am optimistic of what is possible, and empathetic towards those within the walls of science.
About
I plan to share things that I have come to learn via — as many have before me — this rather bizarre, opaque, and long-winded journey training* to be a scientist*.
These ideas revolve around the idea of science, and what most people — non-scientists and scientists alike — understand it to mean, compared to what it is in practice.
A definition I feel is hard to dispute:
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. wiki/Science
A common theme in the world of science (as in politics), is that words are used that don’t really mean what they actually mean (whether this is new, or not — I do not know).
This is a shame.
I make some precisions below, for clarity …
Precisions and nuance
To put it bluntly, I am disappointed.
I do love science, despite this, and will nuance this bold assertion, as time goes on. To be very clear — it’s the foundation of everything. Using science / a scientific approach / the scientific method, is the best way we have to improve the lives of all-things-living; to answer all of those why questions.
I believe that the scientific enterprise is the best way to understand
Used here in the context that the word believe means all of the following :
Accept as true; feel sure of the truth of — in the same way that some people refer to their faith
Hold as an opinion; think or suppose
Have seen ample evidence from my wheel house to feel that it is an evidence-based position to hold
However, as with many other fellow scientist (and non-scientists alike), it is a pathway in life
We are very fortunate to live in societies which afford us this option — to have a career exploring and teaching, albeit [insert all reasons you can think of].
training* to be a scientist*
I have these two notions…
You don’t really get trained, as you might think, knowing what the word training actually means.
To be a scientist is what, precisely … to succeed in academia? This does not require one to be a good scientist, per se, but rather to be a good academic [there are, of course, a subset of individuals (I would argue a minority)] who are both.
To be continued …