anonym comments on Rationality Quotes: December 2010 - Less Wrong

6 Post author: Tiiba 03 December 2010 03:23AM

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Comment author: anonym 03 December 2010 08:19:46AM 4 points [-]

I reckon that for all the use it has been to science about four-fifths of my time has been wasted, and I believe this to be the common lot of people who are not merely playing follow-my-leader in research.

— Peter Medawar

Comment author: Jordan 03 December 2010 09:45:33PM 9 points [-]

Up voted, although I think 'wasted' is a bit harsh. I would call lost time to unsuccessful research a necessary cost. If we all knew exactly which problems to study and which approaches to use it wouldn't be research, it would be divination.

Comment author: anonym 04 December 2010 04:19:56AM 3 points [-]

I read the quote not as saying that four-fifths of his time had no value at all but that so-called 'wasted' time is a necessary part of the research process and actually does have value.

Comment author: Gabriel 04 December 2010 03:02:49AM 1 point [-]

As seen elsewhere in this thread, Nietzsche disagrees.

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