Classic 2008 essay revisited: why feeling stupid is essential to scientific research
burny_tech · x · 2026-11-10
A repost of Martin A. Schwartz's classic 2008 Journal of Cell Science essay, with full text in the images. Key argument: research means immersing yourself in the unknown, so feeling stupid is a precondition for discovery, not a failure signal. Schwartz argues PhD programs fail students twice—by not conveying how hard research is, and by not teaching them to be 'productively stupid.' He recounts a Henry Taube anecdote showing even Nobel laureates don't know most answers. The framing quote: technology amplifies science's power, and scientific taste determines where that power should be directed.
Related event: Classic Essay Revisited: Embracing "Stupidity" in Scientific Research(2 posts)→
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