Showing results by author "Stuart Firestein" in All Categories

Knowledge is a big subject, says Stuart Firestein, but ignorance is a bigger one. And it is ignorance - not knowledge - that is the true engine of science. Most of us have a false impression of science as a surefire, deliberate, step-by-step method for finding things out and getting things done. In fact, says Firestein, more often than not, science is like looking for a black cat in a dark room, and there may not be a cat in the room.

In his sequel to Ignorance (Oxford University Press, 2012), Stuart Firestein shows us that the scientific enterprise is riddled with mistakes and errors - and that this is a good thing! Failure: Why Science Is So Successful delves into the origins of scientific research as a process that relies upon trial and error, one which inevitably results in a hefty dose of failure. In fact, scientists throughout history have relied on failure to guide their research, viewing mistakes as a necessary part of the process.

Nesta abordagem original sobre a natureza da pesquisa, Stuart Firestein faz um elogio aos mistérios científicos e às incertezas que motivam os cientistas ao demonstrar que a ignorância é o verdadeiro combustível da busca por conhecimento. A ignorância ― e não o conhecimento ― é o...

A profound argument for science that embraces uncertainty and promotes possibility, creativity, and the belief that we can shape, if not determine, our future. The search for certainty is embedded deep in the mythos of science. Science is expected to provide definitive answers based on immutable...