As a theoretician, I am proud to be part of a counter revolution... discovering that quantum field theory language was not dead and finished but had not really been explored thoroughly enough.
Peter HiggsRead
When the basic status of a theory is clear, and all that needs to be cleared are details, you can collaborate. But if the main structure of a hypothesis isn't established, and you want to change the paradigm - like it was the case in the 1960s - it's better to work alone.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Collaboration is effective when foundational theories are clear; otherwise, individual work is preferable.
Peter Higgs emphasizes the importance of having a solid foundational understanding of a theory before collaborating with others. If the fundamental elements of a hypothesis are not well-established, particularly when significant paradigm shifts are at stake, it may be more advantageous to develop ideas independently to prevent confusion and conflict.
Themes
CollaborationTheoryScienceParadigmHypothesis
In practice
Example use cases
In a scientific conference discussing research methodologies.
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I was an embarrassment to the department when they did research assessment exercises. A message would go round the department: 'Please give a list of your recent publications.' And I would send back a statement: 'None.'
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