No one may have the guts to say this, but if we could make better human beings by knowing how to add genes, why shouldn't we?
James D. WatsonRead
I think the reason people are dealing with science less well now than 50 years ago is that it has become so complicated.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Scientific knowledge has become increasingly complex, making it harder for people to engage with it.
James D. Watson points out that over the past five decades, the advancement of science has led to a degree of complexity that challenges public understanding and engagement. As scientific concepts become more intricate and specialized, they may alienate individuals who are not trained in the field, thereby creating a disconnect between the scientific community and society as a whole.
Themes
ScienceComplexityUnderstandingKnowledgePublic Engagement
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on public science communication, this quote can illustrate the challenges faced in making scientific topics accessible.
More from James D. Watson
All quotes βPolls consistently show that the majority of Americans favour research using embryonic stem cells and yet politicians continue to pander to the outspoken religious minority that is hampering efforts to develop this potentially valuable technology.
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DNA was my only gold rush. I regarded DNA as worth a gold rush.
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Science has always been my preoccupation and when you think a breakthrough is possible, it is terribly exciting.
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If you go into science, I think you better go in with a dream that maybe you, too, will get a Nobel Prize. It's not that I went in and I thought I was very bright and I was going to get one, but I'll confess, you know, I knew what it was.
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Take young researchers, put them together in virtual seclusion, give them an unprecedented degree of freedom and turn up the pressure by fostering competitiveness.
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