personality

DISHONEST SCIENCE – THE PERSONALITY OF THE SCIENTIST.

Scientists tend to share a certain personality type that separates them from the majority of humankind. There have been some studies of the “scientific personality type” conducted by qualified psychologists. These studies may well throw some light on the culture of the sciences and on the way scientists behave. Here are some quotes from authoritative sources:-

The first quote is from the book Creativity – Selected Readings, edited by P. E. Vernon, published by Penguin Books, 1970, pages 43 to 51. Article:- A Psychologist Examines 64 Eminent Scientists, by Anne Roe, page 44:-

“Certain common patterns do appear, in the group as a whole, - - - a picture of - - - the “average” eminent scientist - - - - He is likely to have been A SICKLY CHILD - - - - He tended to FEEL LONELY AND DIFFERENT, and to be SHY AND ALOOF from his classmates. - - - He says HIS WORK IS HIS LIFE, and he has few recreations, these being restricted to fishing, sailing, walking, or SOME OTHER INDIVIDUALISTIC ACTIVITY, and RELIGION PLAYS NO PART IN HIS LIFE OR THINKING - - - - Biologists - - - rely strongly upon A NON-EMOTIONAL APPROACH TO PROBLEMS - - - -Among the theoretical physicists there was - - - FEELINGS OF ISOLATION - - - The characteristic pattern - - - is that of - - - - SHY, LONELY, OVER-INTELLECTUALISED. (My capitals.)

The next quote is from the book The Ecology of Human Intelligence. Selected Readings, edited by Liam Hudson, published by Penguin Books, 1970. Article:- Perception of The Arts and Sciences, by Liam Hudson (Professor of Educational Sciences at Edinburgh University):-

“Boys who specialize in science are known to differ - - - in personality from those who specialize in the arts. Scientists - - - - have been found to be RETICENT IN THEIR EXPRESSION OF EMOTION, and to DEAL WITH PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS IN AN INHIBITED FASHION. - - - - American students see the scientist as - - -LACKING IN SENSITIVITY AND CONCERN FOR PEOPLE - - - HAVING A SHALLOW PERSONAL LIFE.” (My capitals.)

The next quote is from the same book, also an article by Liam Hudson (Professor of Educational Sciences at Edinburgh University), entitled Personality and Scientific Aptitude (Pages 301 to 302:-

“Two types of boy were distinguished:- The converger - - - (and) the diverger - - - Convergers show a bias in ability towards questions expressed in numbers and patterns, rather than in words. - - - These TENDENCIES ON THE PART OF THE CONVERGER TO STEROTYPE AND COMPARTMENTALIZE - - - as defences - - - against - - - stress. These “DEFENCE MECHANISMS” would seem to RESTRICT THE - - - CONVERGER’S - - - ACCESS TO HIS OWN FEELINGS AND HIS DEALINGS WITH HUMAN ASPECTS OF HIS OWN CULTURE. - - - The converger is a boy who achieves a sense of security by restricting himself to a relatively narrow range of IMPERSONAL, TECHNICAL TOPICS. - - - - - Thus the mechanisms which produce restriction in a converger may also serve to maintain his emotional equilibrium. - - - The converger’s - - - poor scores in “open-ended” tests could now be seen as a by-product of a more general EMOTIONAL RESTRICTION. The attraction that - - science holds for the convergent type of boy now becomes clear. - - - - Science involves NO HUMAN CONSIDERATIONS - - - AND THE ASSUMPTION THAT EVERY PROBLEM HAS (JUST) ONE CORRECT SOLUTION. - - - The practical dangers are that science may recruit boys who are NARROW AND INFLEXIBLE. - - - Some of the differences - - - which distinguish arts from science specialists may derive from differences in personality.” (My capitals.)

The next quote come from The Rationalist Annual for the year 1963, published by Barrie and Rockliff, 1963. Article:- Some Lies About Science, by J. B. S. Haldane (Professor of Genetics at University College London), pages 32 to 39:-

“Great scientists are OFTEN SHY OR RUDE, AND SOMETIMES BOTH” (My capitals.)

The next quotes come from the book The Dynamics of Creation, by Anthony Storr, published by Penguin Books, 1972:-

Page 83:- “It is at least arguable that some of the greatest achievements in scientific thought rest upon the basis of FINDING AN UNPREDICTABLE, ARBITRARY WORLD INTOLERABLE.” (My capitals.)

Page 96:- “As one biographer writes of him (ie:- Sir Isaac Newton) “To force everything in the heavens and on earth INTO ONE RIGID, TIGHT FRAME from which the most miniscule detail would not be allowed to escape free and random was AN UNDERLYING NEED OF THIS ANXIETY-RIDDEN MAN”.” (My capitals.)

Page 98:- “Both Newton and Einstein - - - were left with AN INTENSE NEED TO CREATE AN ALL-EMBRACING SCHEME which would alleviate THE DISCOMFORT OF LIVING IN AN ARBITRARY OR CONTRADICTORY WORLD. Intolerance of discrepancies, the realization that something does not fit, as a motive for creation will be further discussed in a chapter on THE OBSESSIONAL PERSONALITY. (My capitals.)

The next quote is from The Book of Facts, volume 1, by Isaac Asimov, published by Coronet Books, Hodder and Stoughton, 1980, pages 213 to 214:-

“In 1807, the mathematician Johann Karl Friedrich Gauss was caught up in a (mathematical) problem while his wife lay sick upstairs. WHEN THE DOCTOR TOLD HIM HIS WIFE WAS DYING, Gauss waved him away, and, NEVER LOOKING UP FROM THE PROBLEM, MUTTERED “TELL HER TO WAIT A MOMENT TILL I’M THROUGH.” (My capitals.)

The next quote is from the book Humanity. A Moral History of The Twentieth Century, by Julian Glover (Director of The Centre of Medical Law and Ethics at King’s College, London), published by Pimlico, 2001, page 330:-

“Theodor Adorno and his colleagues studied the psychology of potential fascists - - - The study suggested that such people often have an “authoritarian personality”, typified by RIGIDITY OF THOUGHT - - - RIGID ADHERENCE TO CONVENTIONAL VALUES, AND AGGRESSION TOWARDS THIOSE WHO VIOLATE THEM - - - A SUBMISSIVE, UNCRITICAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS AUTHORITY - - -RIGIDITY - - - OBEDIENCE, CONFORMITY - - - ARE ALL STRIKING FEATURES OF MANY LEADING NAZIS.” (My capitals,)

Let me now reiterate some of the above quotes:-

“The practical dangers are that science may recruit boys who are NARROW AND INFLEXIBLE.”

“FINDING AN UNPREDICTABLE, ARBITRARY WORLD INTOLERABLE.”

“To force everything in the heavens and on earth INTO ONE RIGID, TIGHT FRAME.”

“RIGIDITY OF THOUGHT”

“A SUBMISSIVE, UNCRITICAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS AUTHORITY - - - RIGIDITY - - - OBEDIENCE, CONFORMITY”

Perhaps these above quotes might throw some light on the EXTREME RIGID DOGMATISM that is the norm in the scientific culture. It might also throw some light on the following quote:-

This quote is from the book Ideology of Death, by John Weiss, published by Ivan R. Dee (Chicago), 1996, page 132:-

“German physicians were the single most over-represented professional group in The Nazi Party.”

It is my contention that the RIGID, DOGMATIC mindset of many (perhaps the majority of) scientists is a hindrance to scientific progress. Also, the SUBMISSIVE, UNCRITICAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS AUTHORITY of the majority of scientists is a hindrance to scientific progress. There are many theories currently accepted by scientists which are quite clearly wrong, and which contravene basic commonsense. This can only happen because of the scientist’s submissive, unquestioning attitude to scientific academic authority. Unfortunately this may never change, because the “scientific personality” is naturally rigid and obedient to authority; and you can’t alter peoples’ personalities.