Ignorance: How it drives science
Ratings2
Average rating2.5
15
Ratings2
Average rating2.5
Knowledge is a big subject, says Stuart Firestein, but ignorance is a bigger one. And it is ignorance--not knowledge--that is the true engine of science. Most of us have a false impression of science as a surefire, deliberate, step-by-step method for finding things out and getting things done. In fact, says Firestein, more often than not, science is like looking for a black cat in a dark room, and there may not be a cat in the room. The process is more hit-or-miss than you might imagine, with much stumbling and groping after phantoms. But it is exactly this "not knowing," this puzzling over thorny questions or inexplicable data, that gets researchers into the lab early and keeps them there late, the thing that propels them, the very driving force of science. Firestein shows how scientists use ignorance to program their work, to identify what should be done, what the next steps are, and where they should concentrate their energies. And he includes a catalog of how scientists use ignorance, consciously or unconsciously--a remarkable range of approaches that includes looking for connections to other research, revisiting apparently settled questions, using small questions to get at big ones, and tackling a problem simply out of curiosity. The book concludes with four case histories--in cognitive psychology, theoretical physics, astronomy, and neuroscience--that provide a feel for the nuts and bolts of ignorance, the day-to-day battle that goes on in scientific laboratories and in scientific minds with questions that range from the quotidian to the profound. Turning the conventional idea about science on its head, Ignorance opens a new window on the true nature of research. It is a must-read for anyone curious about science.
Reviews with the most likes.
Great little book that would make a fine addition to the syllabus of a high school or undergraduate science survey course. The author teaches this course, “Ignorance” at Columbia University and the book is an outline of the major topics students in the course examine in seminars and lectures from working scientists. (Do you want an “A” in a class called Ignorance or an “F”?)
Refreshing interviews and insights into the idea that science is doing its best work when it doesn't know the answers. Science is not a search and destroy mission of finding facts and ending uncertainty. The art of science is being humble about approaching the scientific process and allowing ignorance to become a creative spark and motivational force.
Short Review: This is a nice quick science book that has a clear focus and enough illustration to makes its point well. Stuart Firestein is a researcher and college professor. He realized that what he loves about research is finding new things, the curiosity and what is unknown (ignorance). But what he doesn't like about teaching is that most often the focus is on the facts, what is known. So he started teaching a class called ignorance, that is focused on what is unknown and how the unknown is what drives science. He invites other scientists into the class to talk about what they don't know, what they are interested in and what the can't know right now because of problems that prevent them (technology, unobservable, etc.)
Book is in two section, the introduction and discussion of what ignorance is and why the right type of ignorance is important to science and life. Part two is case studies (some of those scientist friends that talk about what they don't know.)
The first section probably could have been edited down a bit, but I thought the point was well made. The second section I thought was more interesting, especially his own story (he was previously working in the theater and didn't go to college until 30 and get his PhD until 40.)
There is a TED Talk (linked in my full review on my blog at http://bookwi.se/ignorance/ ) and that probably has the basics of the book (but I haven't watched it.) It was a good brief read. It is less than $2 on kindle, which is why I picked it up in the first place and it was well worth that.
