Guy Oshiro wrote:
>> Dear scientists,
>> Is Science a moral endeavor?
>> Part of the reason that I got into science was because I wanted to be
> involved in something that would help humanity. I really wanted to
> help find a cure to diseases such as cancer and arthritis. I wanted to
> make a difference. I felt that biomedical research was the best way to
> achieve these aims.
Sure, science is a moral endeavor. So is being a businessman, a lawyer,
or some other profession where your purpose is to earn an honest living.
What's wrong with acting for your own selfish interest and for the
benefit of others? How does that necessarily harm anyone else?
Also...are you sure that you can help humanity if the individuals who
compose it do not have the desire to help themselves or the desire to
get a clue as to how to do that?
> Now, I find myself starting to question both my reasoning and my
> sanity.
Well...hopefully there is something selfish about what you are doing,
asides from trying to gain a counterfiet purpose via altruism.
> I am currently working on my Ph.D. studying cell cycle regulation in
> yeast. This is a far cry from my goal of helping humanity but I think
> this basic research work is important because it will give us a clue on
> how things work.
> I am nearing the end of my graduate career and I wonder if I have what
> it takes to continue on this career track. The road ahead seems both
> long and dark. There are so many people out there (post-docs) that are
> having a difficult time finding a job. I don't want to be 35, losing
> my hair, and just hoping that someone will give me a job.
I empathize with you...and have the exact same fear. If, after 1
postdoc, I can't find a suitable job, I'll go train in a more marketable
field to add some kind of economic value to the PhD.
> I didn't come into science for the money - but I certainly didn't come
> into it to lose my life and to become poor.
Don't ever apologize for desiring wealth...it's a great thing. If you
do apologize for it--rest assured that a looter will be happy to steal
it from you since you're morally defenseless and the moochers will beg
it away from you. (For an elaboration of a radically different approach
to morality than anything you've ever heard, check out the novel Atlas
Shrugged and the anthology The Virtue of Selfishness by the philosopher
Ayn Rand.)
> I work about 60 - 70 hours
> a week now. I don't mind the work load now in graduate school but I
> don't and can not keep it up forever. Eventually I want to get settled
> down and lead a normal life.
>> Please forgive me for the inane rambling.
>> I guess my main question is this -- why do scientists do what they do?
> don't get me wrong, I love being a scientist. I love the act of
> discovery and the ability to figure out a research question. But when
> you do that at the expense of all else - I begin to question the
> reasons. Do you do it because you love doing it or because you believe
> that you are doing it for the good of humanity?
I suspect that most do it because they enjoy it, those who do it well
can earn a fair living at it, and it's the path of least resistance
(imagine burning your PhD and starting over as an undergrad in the
business school, etc.)
> The sad thing is that humanity really does not know what scientists do.
> they are definitely not rewarded financially.
That is because the research is not very valuable to individuals right
now, due in part to the stagnation of the mixed economy (people have
less money to spend on luxuries like science). The other problem is the
PhD oversupply/overproduction.
Hope that puts things in some perspective,
Jeffrey Haber
http://www.sb.fsu.edu/~haber
