What Drives Scientists to Madness?

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The discussion centers on humanity's intrinsic need to explain and categorize experiences, highlighting that this drive is particularly pronounced among scientists. Despite facing significant obstacles—such as limitations in observation, understanding, and the challenge of convincing others—scientists are compelled by an unfulfilled curiosity that drives them to seek explanations beyond mere survival. The conversation notes that while humans are not necessarily the most intelligent species, their unique desire for knowledge sets them apart. The notion of "madness" is introduced, suggesting that the pursuit of understanding can appear irrational but is essential for progress. The dialogue concludes with a reflection on the importance of creativity in scientific thought, emphasizing that true innovation must be grounded in experimental discipline.
Mordred
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Throughout our knowledge of history mankind has persevered against one fundamental need. The need to explain, to define and categorize all events we observe. To a scientist which society has funded, supported, ridiculed and scorned, this basic desire is all the greater.
Out of all the species on this planet we stand unique in this drive, though we cannot state that we are the most intelligent of beings residing upon our planet. We also cannot name any other species with the same basic desire to push the umbrella of our understanding beyond survival, enjoyment and security of such.
However despite this the average scientist faces numerous obstacles. These obstacles include, our current understanding, our ability to observe, our ability to disprove, our ability of convincing others of what we feel is right, our ability of moving beyond time true and tested understandings, and our imagination of new possibilities either through prejudice or limitations already described. Our very nature of being demands this ability to explain every interaction.
We as the scientist is responsible to provide those explanations, despite limitations, as such we have much to consider.
How many ways can "A influence B " to determine that, we can supposition a possibility or we can observe an influence. In the latter case the problem of observation is already accounted for, in the former we need to find a means of proof beyond faith. Even if we cannot supposition an interaction due to our limitations, we also cannot preclude the possibility of an unknown. Even in the case of our ability to observe an interaction, we are fraught with the limitations described above.
Given all this its safe to say every scientist is MAD in his own way, after all why do we desire to struggle beyond these countless limitations? The one answer I can think of though others are also possible, is our unfulfilled curiosity. Out of all the species on our planet, humanity shares this emotion more so than any other. Scientists exhibit a greater desire and willingness to struggle against limitations of that curiosity than many. So in that sense we are all mad
 
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Mordred said:
[...] this its safe to say every scientist is MAD in his own way, after all why do we desire to struggle beyond these countless limitations?
To survive and prosper.

An ancient (pre?)-human fiddling with lengths of twine probably seemed MAD to his peers -- until they saw how he could use his creation to trap and catch fish...

One is only "mad" if creative thought is not subjected to the discipline of experiment.

You may form your own conclusions for what that says about certain string theorists... :wink:
 
strangerep said:
To survive and prosper.
You may form your own conclusions for what that says about certain string theorists... :wink:
:smile:
 
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