Scientists are wired differently...

[Roccus7]

Lot of BS floating around the Lounge and the Press of late regarding science and scientists. I'm especially confused by this stuff because it's obvious that it's written, propagated and/or chastised by people that don't have a clue how science and scientists are wired. Maybe I can help folks understand better.

1. Data talks, BS walks. You got data? Let's talk. You got a feeling? If it's good, go buy a lotto ticket. If it's bad, see a doctor.
   
   
2. Scientists are skeptics. We're wired to be skeptical about everything and have to prove or disprove it.
   
   
3. We are never ashamed about being wrong. There's no shame in being wrong as science is constantly changing and what's correct today can very well be wrong tomorrow. We don't double down and try to defend a wrong position if someone provides well-collected data to the contrary. My favorite exhortation to the folks who worked for me was, "OK, this is what I think. PLEASE prove me wrong!!" And when someone proved me wrong, they were rewarded for it, not scolded.
   
   
4. The search for truth is what motivates us. We don't want to be famous, we don't want notoriety, we just want to be left alone in our lab. I'll give you an example. The week before we were about to launch a critical, and very lucrative product, we suddenly were unable to purify one of the key reagents. The Marketing Product Manager was going crazy, comes into my office and says:
   
   "How about this idea to help Darwin (Yes, Darwin was the key scientist's name. I do like that.)? Tell him if he works this out in 3 days, we'll give him a $5,000 bonus!!"
   
   "No Jeff, that won't work."
   
   "What???? Make it $10,000!!!"
   
   "Throwing money at him is an insult. Darwin worked out a very complicated purification scheme and has spent months on it. Suddenly his world is in disarray because it's not working. Putting his world back together is all the motivation he needs and I'm confident he'll fix it."
   
   "I will NEVER understand you F-ing scientists!!!!"
   
   As predicted, Darwin worked 20 hours a day, in 2 days figured out the problem, and the product was launched on time. That ugly problem never reared it's head again.

OK, I'm off my soapbox. Any scientist will admit they're "different", it just the way we are.

Be glad I didn't get my doctorate in Finland where you're presented with a sword at your graduation, as the bestowing of doctorate comes with the responsibility of defending the truth. The Finns are smart enough to provide you a weapon to do so...

 

[movetheboat]

There are people in the world who find data and the search for truth very threatening to their beliefs and way of life and their influence over others.

 

[Roccus7]

In case my Finland statement seems to be a fish story:

In Finland, all new PhD holders are given a traditional PhD Sword and PhD Hat during a Conferment Ceremony. The sword and hat symbolise the freedom of research and the fight for what is good, right and true.

The sword is cool, the hat not so much. They even have to sharpen their swords in a ceremony. From the person who wore his favorite fishing hit to his college graduation, I'd probably bring my favorite filleting knife along to that whetting ceremony...

BTW, catch the last line. Polish and Ukraine PhDs get a mace!!!

Finland’s Doctoral Sword and Hat​

Once the university is satisfied that the academic requirement for earning a PhD have been met, candidates are formally awarded their doctoral degree certificates which can be collected during graduation ceremonies similar to those in the UK or picked up from the university some-time later.

Whilst on paper you’ll now be a PhD holder, in Finland you’re not considered to be a proper Dr’ until you’ve been through the official ceremony of Conferment which involves receiving a doctoral hat and an actual doctoral sword! In fact, doctoral degree holders that haven’t gone through Conferment are ‘not allowed’ to wear their doctoral hats at any future ceremonies requiring them and must instead carry them in their hands!

Finland’s Doctoral Hat. Source: Vaasan yliopisto | University of Vaasa


The University of Oulu describes the Doctoral Hat as “a symbol of liberty…scholarship and freedom of research” and the Doctors Sword is “a symbol for the scientist’s fight for what he or she, in rigorous research, has found to be good, right and true”.

Finland’s Doctoral Sword. Source: Vaasan yliopisto | University of Vaasa

Conferment ceremonies take place every couple of years and as you can imagine are a big deal for new PhD holders/doctors. At the conferment ceremony, new doctors are presented with their PhD hat, PhD sword and certificate of conferment.

The PhD or Doctoral hat, which looks like a top hat, is normally black in colour, but this colour may also vary depending on the specific degree awarded; A Doctor of Medicine, for example, is associated with a green hat, whilst a Doctor of Fine Arts with a dark blue hat. It also usually displays the university emblem attached to a velvet ribbon.

On the evening before conferment day, a traditional sword-whetting’ ceremony occurs. At this, new PhD holders bring the sword that they’ll officially be presented with the next day and they sharpen this sword on a hand-turned grindstone that’s turned by the other people at the ceremony. This is usually followed by a short speech by the new doctor in which they describe the importance of the sword to them and how it symbolises the defence of knowledge and their responsibilities as a new doctoral degree holder. When they are worn in official ceremonies in the future, they are traditionally placed on the left side.

In the Ukraine and Poland, PhDs carry a Bulawa which is a baton or mace.

 

[movetheboat]

IT took 359 years for the Vatican to admit that Galileo was right and the Earth did revolve around the sun. He was forced to recant that under threat of excommunication. Religion must be a hard grasp in the world of scientists. My anthropology teacher was actually a catholic Monsignor, something I admired about my school and that teacher for actually showing that side of things. I loved anthropology and archeology and still do.

 

[Roccus7]

IT took 359 years for the Vatican to admit that Galileo was right and the Earth did revolve around the sun. He was forced to recant that under threat of excommunication. Religion must be a hard grasp in the world of scientists. My anthropology teacher was actually a catholic Monsignor, something I admired about my school and that teacher for actually showing that side of things. I loved anthropology and archeology and still do.

Yes, many scientist have been called heretics by the Vatican and appeared before inquisitions. At least Pope John Paul II finally exonerated Galileo.

Pope Francis endeared himself to me when he answered that he did believe in the Big Bang by responding "God is not a magician!" to a questioning reporter...