Why it’s crucial that young scientists are taught the value of being wrong

[HuckleB]

https://theconversation.com/why-its-crucial-that-young-scientists-are-taught-the-value-of-being-wrong-54839

"Albert Einstein is the most famous scientist of all time. From Calgary to Cape Town the image of the wild-haired, contemplative lone genius holed up in a messy office, changing the universe, has evolved into the archetype of how society sees scientists. More than that, it has shaped the social perception of the whole scientific endeavour.

True science, we are led to believe from a very young age, is never wrong. True scientists – the Galileos, Newtons and Curies – stare into the abyss and return with deep truths about the universe we inhabit. Anything less and, well, you might as well throw in the towel. And so scientists spend their careers desperately trying to be right in every classroom, seminar and paper.

But this is not how science works. It’s not even how science is supposed to work.

The scientific method is built on four cornerstones: observation, hypothesis, experiment and the revision of the hypothesis based on the results of the experiment. The last is just a fancy way of saying “admitting that you were wrong."

..."

[bvf]

1. Reminds me of the story a prof of mine used to tell

of the biologist who conditioned a frog to jump on command, then removed its legs, repeated the experiment, and concluded that severing its limbs had rendered the frog deaf.

Good read, btw.

[HuckleB]

2. +1

[earthshine]

3. And Einstein said, "God does not play dice with the universe."

But apparently God does.

Einstein didn't believe in quantum mechanics, until he was shown to be dead wrong.

Scientists are just people. Sometimes you're right; sometimes you're wrong. And it's just fine to be wrong as long as you learn from your mistakes.

When Einstein jumped on the QM bandwagon, he warned all about the dangers of the power of the atom, in the context of nuclear weapons.

He remains one of my favorite people who ever lived.

[HuckleB]

4. His ability to be ok with being wrong is why he succeeded.

And what is at the core of his humanity.