E.O. Wilson: Advice to young scientists

Translator: Thu-Huong Ha Reviewer: Morton Bast

Prevodilac: Stevan S. Lektor: Ivana Korom

What I'm going to do is to just give a few notes,

Ovde ću prikazati par crtica

and this is from a book I'm preparing called

i to iz knjige koju pripremam pod imenom

"Letters to a Young Scientist."

,,Pisma mladom naučniku''.

I'd thought it'd be appropriate to

Smatrao sam da bi bilo prikladno

present it, on the basis that I have had extensive experience

da je prikažem, zasnovano na tome da sam prethodno stekao široko iskustvo

in teaching, counseling scientists across a broad array of fields.

u učenju i savetovanju naučnika iz raznih polja.

And you might like to hear some of the principles that I've developed in doing

Možda biste želeli da čujete nešto o principima koje sam razvio kroz

that teaching and counseling.

ta predavanja i savetovanja.

So let me begin by urging you,

Dozvolite da počnem kroz podsticanje,

particularly you on the youngsters' side,

pogotovo vas mladih,

on this path you've chosen,

na ovom putu koji ste izabrali,

to go as far as you can.

da idete što je dalje moguće.

The world needs you, badly.

Svetu ste potrebni, jako potrebni.

Humanity is now fully into the techno-scientific age.

Čovečanstvo je sada u potpunosti u tehnološko-naučnom dobu.

There is going to be no turning back.

Neće biti povratka.

Although varying among disciplines -- say, astrophysics,

Iako postoje različite discipline - recimo, astrofizika,

molecular genetics, the immunology, the microbiology, the public

molekularna genetika, imunologija, mikrobiologija, javno

health, to the new area of the human body as a symbiont,

zdravlje, pa od dela ljudskog tela koje je simbiont,

to public health, environmental science.

do javnog zdravlja, ekologije.

Knowledge in medical science and science overall

Fond znanja u medicinskoj nauci i nauci uopšte

is doubling every 15 to 20 years.

se udvostručuje svakih 15 do 20 godina.

Technology is increasing at a comparable rate.

Tehnologija se razvija na sličan način.

Between them, the two already pervade,

Ovo dvoje su prisutni,

as most of you here seated realize,

kao što većina prisutnih shvata,

every dimension of human life.

u svakoj dimenziji ljudskog života.

So swift is the velocity of the techno-scientific revolution,

Brzina tehnološko-naučne revolucije je toliko strelovita,

so startling in its countless twists and turns, that no one can predict

toliko zapanjujuća u svojim bezbrojnim zaokretima, da niko ne može da predvidi

its outcome even a decade from the present moment.

njene posledice čak ni u predstojećoj deceniji.

There will come a time, of course,

Doći će trenutak, naravno,

when the exponential growth of discovery and knowledge,

kada će eksponencijalni porast okrića i znanja,

which actually began in the 1600s,

koji je zapravo počeo početkom 17. veka,

has to peak and level off,

dostići vrhunac i ustaliti se,

but that's not going to matter to you.

ali to vama neće ništa značiti.

The revolution is going to continue

Revolucija će se nastaviti

for at least several more decades.

bar još nekoliko decenija.

It'll render the human condition

Učiniće čovekovo stanje

radically different from what it is today.

u korenu različitim nego što je danas.

Traditional fields of study are going to continue to grow

Tradicionalna istraživačka polja će nastaviti da se razvijaju

and in so doing, inevitably they will meet and create new disciplines.

i na taj način će se neizbežno ukrstiti, stvarajući nove discipline.

In time, all of science will come to be

Vremenom, čitava nauka će postati

a continuum of description, an explanation of networks, of principles and laws.

jedna celina sačinjena od opisa, objašnjenja mreža, principa i zakona.

That's why you need not just be training

Iz tog razloga se ne treba samo obučavati

in one specialty, but also acquire breadth in other fields,

u okviru jedne uske oblasti, već treba steći širinu u drugim poljima,

related to and even distant from your own initial choice.

koja su srodna ili čak udaljena od vašeg početnog izbora.

Keep your eyes lifted and your head turning.

Držite svoje oči širom otvorene i pratite.

The search for knowledge is in our genes.

Potraga za znanjem nam je u genima.

It was put there by our distant ancestors

Tu su je postavili naši daleki preci

who spread across the world,

koji su se raširili po svetu,

and it's never going to be quenched.

i nikada neće biti ugašena.

To understand and use it sanely,

Njeno razumevanje i razumno korišćenje,

as a part of the civilization yet to evolve

kao deo civilizacije koja će se tek razviti,

requires a vastly larger population of scientifically trained people like you.

zahteva mnogostruko veći broj naučno obučenih ljudi kao što ste vi.

In education, medicine, law, diplomacy,

U obrazovanju, medicini, pravosuđu, diplomatiji,

government, business and the media that exist today.

upravi, biznisu i medijima današnjice.

Our political leaders need at least a modest degree of scientific

Naše političke vođe moraju da poseduju bar osnovnu naučnu

literacy, which most badly lack today --

pismenost, koja mnogima u potpunosti nedostaje danas --

no applause, please.

bez aplauza, molim.

It will be better for all

Biće bolje za sve

if they prepare before entering office rather than learning on the job.

ako se pripreme pre zauzimanja funkcije, umesto da uče usput.

Therefore you will do well to act on the side,

Zato ćete dobro delovati sa strane,

no matter how far into the laboratory

bez obzira koliko imate iskustva sa laboratorijom,

you may go, to serve as teachers

služeći kao učitelji

during the span of your career.

tokom trajanja vaše karijere.

I'll now proceed quickly,

Sada ću brzo nastaviti govoreći,

and before else, to a subject that is both a vital asset

pre svega, o temi koja je istovremeno i neophodno sredstvo

and a potential barrier to a scientific career.

i moguća prepreka u jednoj naučnoj karijeri.

If you are a bit short in mathematical skills,

Ako vam matematika nije jača strana,

don't worry.

ne brinite.

Many of the most successful scientists

Neki od najuspešnijih naučnika

at work today are mathematically semi-literate.

današnjice su matematički polu-pismeni.

A metaphor will serve here:

Poslužiće metafora:

Where elite mathematicians and statisticians

dok veliki matematičari, statističari

and theorists often serve as architects in the expanding realm

i teoretičari predstavljaju arhitekte u širećem svetu

of science, the remaining large majority of

nauke, preostala većina

basic applied scientists, including a large portion of those who could be

primenjenih opštih naučnika, od kojih se mnogi smatraju

said to be of the first rank, are the ones who map the terrain, they scout

prvoklasnim stručnjacima, su oni koji mapiraju teren, izviđaju

the frontiers, they cut the pathways,

granice, oni utabaju staze,

they raise the buildings along the way.

podižu zdanja na svojem putu.

Some may have considered me foolhardy,

Neki su me smatrali preterano odvažnim,

but it's been my habit to brush aside the fear of mathematics

ali sam često smatrao strah od matematike potpuno nebitnim

when talking to candidate scientists.

u razgovoru sa naučnicima-kandidatima.

During 41 years of teaching biology at Harvard,

Tokom moje 41 godine predavanja biologije na Harvardu,

I watched sadly as bright students turned away

tužno sam posmatrao kako bistri studenti odustaju

from the possibility of a scientific career

od mogućnosti za naučnom karijerom

or even from taking non-required courses in science

ili čak pohađanja neobaveznih naučnih kurseva

because they were afraid of failure.

zbog straha od neuspeha.

These math-phobes deprive science and medicine

Ovi mato-fobi uskraćuju nauci i medicini

of immeasurable amounts of badly needed talent.

nemerljive količine jako potrebnog talenta.

Here's how to relax your anxieties, if you have them:

Evo kako da se izborite sa svojim strahovima, ako ih imate:

Understand that mathematics is a language

shvatite da je matematika jezik

ruled like other verbal languages,

određen kao i drugi govorni jezici

or like verbal language generally, by its own grammar

ili govorni jezici uopšte, sopstvenom gramatikom

and system of logic.

i logičkim sistemom.

Any person with average quantitative intelligence

Svaka prosečno inteligentna osoba

who learns to read and write mathematics

koja uči da čita i piše matematiku

at an elementary level will, as in verbal language, have little difficulty

na osnovnom nivou će, kao i sa govornim jezicima, bez muke

picking up most of the fundamentals

savladati osnovne stvari

if they choose to master the mathspeak of most disciplines of science.

ako reši da ovlada govorom matematike velikog broja naučnih disciplina.

The longer you wait to become at least semi-literate

Što duže čekate da postanete bar polu-pismeni

the harder the language of mathematics will be to master, just as again in any verbal

to će biti teže da savladate jezik matematike, kako je i sa svakim govornim

language, but it can be done at any age.

jezikom, ali se moze naučiti bez obzira na godine.

I speak as an authority

Govorim kao autoritet

on that subject, because I'm an extreme case.

po tom pitanju, jer sam i sȃm ekstreman slučaj.

I didn't take algebra until my freshman year

Nisam pohađao algebru sve dok nisam posao brucoš

at the University of Alabama.

na Univerzitetu Alabame.

They didn't teach it before then.

Nije se učila do tada.

I finally got around to calculus as a 32-year-old tenured professor at Harvard,

Kada sam konačno počeo da pohađam računanje kao 32-godišnji profesor na Harvardu,

where I sat uncomfortably in classes with undergraduate students,

nelagodno sam sedeo sa učenicima na osnovnim studijama,

little more than half my age.

od kojih sam bio skoro duplo stariji.

A couple of them were students

Neki od tih studenata su pohađali

in a course I was giving on evolutionary biology.

predavanja iz evolutivne biologije koje sam u tom trenutku držao.

I swallowed my pride, and I learned calculus.

Progutao sam ponos, i naučio računanje.

I found out that in science and all its applications,

Otkrio sam da u nauci i svim njenim primenjenim oblicima

what is crucial is not that technical ability,

od presudnog značaja nije tehnička osposobljenost,

but it is imagination in all of its applications.

već maštovitost u svim svojim primenama.

The ability to form concepts with images of entities and processes

Sposobnost stvaranja pojmova u glavi sačinjenih od delova i procesa

pictured by intuition.

koji su intuitivno prikazani.

I found out that advances in science rarely come upstream

Otkrio sam da naučna otkrića retko nastaju kontraintuitivno

from an ability to stand at a blackboard

stajanjem ispred školske table

and conjure images from unfolding mathematical propositions

i kroz prisećanje odvijajućih matematičkih formula

and equations.

i jednačina.

They are instead the products of downstream imagination leading to hard work,

Naprotiv, napredak je posledica intuicije i mašte praćena marljivim radom

during which mathematical reasoning may or may not prove to be relevant.

tokom koga matematički način razmišjanja može ali i ne mora da bude od važnosti.

Ideas emerge when a part of the real or imagined world is studied

Ideje se rađaju proučavanjem stvarnog ili zamišljenog sveta

for its own sake.

zarad njega samog.

Of foremost importance is a thorough, well-organized knowledge

Od najveće važnosti je temeljno, dobro organizovano znanje

of all that is known of the relevant entities and processes that might be involved in that domain

o svim poznatim objektima i procesima koji mogu biti povezani sa tim problemom

you propose to enter.

u koji ulazite.

When something new is discovered,

Kada se otrije nešto novo

it's logical then that one of the follow-up steps is

sledeći logičan korak bi bio

to find the mathematical and statistical methods to move its analysis forward.

pronalaženje matematičkih i statističkih metoda, koje će potpomoći analizu.

If that step proves too difficult for

Ako se ovaj korak pokaže kao suviše težak

the person or team that made the discovery,

za osobu ili tim koji su došli do otkrića,

a mathematician can then be added by them

oni mogu tada angažovati matematičara u tim

as a collaborator.

kao saradnika.

Consider the following principle,

Uzmite u obzir sledeći princip,

which I will modestly call Wilson's Principle Number One:

koji ću skromno nazvati Prvi Vilsonov princip:

It is far easier for scientists

Neuporedivo je lakše naučnicima

including medical researchers, to require needed collaboration

među njima i medicinskim istraživačima, da zatraže pomoć drugih

in mathematics and statistics

u matematici i statistici

than it is for mathematicians and statisticians

nego što je matematičarima i statističarima

to find scientists able to make use of their equations.

da naučnike priuče upotrebi jednačina.

It is important in choosing the direction to take in science

Ovo je bitno u odabiru pravca u nauci

to find the subject at your level of competence that interests you deeply,

u okviru koga se nalazi tema na vašem nivou spreme koja vas istinski interesuje

and focus on that.

i na koju ćete se fokusirati.

Keep in mind, then, Wilson's Second Principle:

Imajte na umu, dalje, Drugi Vilsonov princip:

For every scientist, whether researcher, technician,

Za svakog naučnika, bilo da je istraživač, tehničar,

teacher, manager or businessman,

učitelj, menadžer ili biznismen,

working at any level of mathematical competence,

bez obzira na nivo znanja u matematici,

there exists a discipline in science or medicine

postoji jedna disciplina u nauci ili medicini

for which that level is enough to achieve excellence.

za koju je taj nivo znanja dovoljan za uspeh.

Now I'm going to offer quickly

Sada ću da ponudim

several more principles that will be useful

još nekoliko principa koji vam mogu biti korisni

in organizing your education and career,

u organizaciji sopstvenog obrazovanja i karijere

or if you're teaching, how you might

ili ako ste predavač,

enhance your own teaching and counseling of young scientists.

u poboljšanju svojih predavanja i savetovanja mladih naučnika.

In selecting a subject in which to conduct original research,

Kada birate temu gde ćete vršiti originalna istraživanja

or to develop world-class expertise,

ili razviti svetski nivo stručnosti,

take a part of the chosen discipline that is sparsely inhabited.

izaberite disciplinu koje je slabo istražena.

Judge opportunity by how few other students and researchers

Procenite šansu po tome koliko li malo drugih studenata i istraživača

are on hand.

učestvuje.

This is not to de-emphasize the essential requirement

Ovo ne umanjuje izraziti značaj

of broad training, or the value of apprenticing yourself

opšte obuke ili vrednosti učenja

in ongoing research to programs of high quality.

u okviru već postojećih visokokvalitetnih istraživačkih programa.

It is important also to acquire older mentors within these successful

Takođe je od važnosti imati starije mentore u okviru ovih uspešnih

programs, and to make friends and colleagues of your age

programa, kao i sklapanje prijateljstava sa kolegama vaših godina

for mutual support.

zarad međusobne podrške.

But through it all, look for a way to break out,

Ali u svemu tome, nađite način na se otkačite,

to find a field and subject not yet popular.

da nađete polje i temu koja još uvek nije popularna.

We have seen this demonstrated already in the talks preceding mine.

Videli smo demostraciju ovoga u predhodnim govorima.

There is the quickest way advances are likely to occur,

Upravo tu se najčešće dešavaju pomaci

as measured in discoveries per investigator per year.

mereni brojem otkrića po istraživaču u toku jedne godine.

You may have heard the

Možda ste čuli za

military dictum for the gathering of armies:

vojničku izreku o okupljanju armija:

March to the sound of the guns.

marširajte ka pucnjavi.

In science, the exact opposite is the case: March away from the sound of the guns.

U nauci važi obrnuto: marširajte suprotno od pucnjave.

So Wilson's Principle Number Three:

Dakle, Treći Vilsonov princip:

March away from the sound of the guns.

Marširajte suprotno od pucnjave.

Observe from a distance,

Posmatrajte sa distance,

but do not join the fray.

ali se ne uključujte u okršaj.

Make a fray of your own.

Izgradite sopstveni okršaj.

Once you have settled on a specialty,

Kada nađete specijalnost,

and the profession you can love, and you've secured opportunity,

i profesiju koju biste voleli i kada ste osigurali priliku,

your potential to succeed will be greatly enhanced if you study it

vaše šanse za uspeh će biti značajno uvećane ukoliko budete proučavali materiju

enough to become an expert.

toliko da postanete ekspert.

There are thousands of professionally delimited

Postoje hiljade profesionalno razdvojenih

subjects sprinkled through physics and chemistry

tema koje su raspršene od fizike i hemije

to biology and medicine.

pa do biologije i medicine.

And on then into the social sciences,

Zatim i u društvenim naukama,

where it is possible in short time to acquire

i svugde je moguće u kratkom vremenskom periodu steći

the status of an authority.

status autoriteta.

When the subject is still very thinly populated,

Kada je neka tema slabo izučavana,

you can with diligence and hard work become

možete kroz marljivost i težak rad postati

the world authority.

vodeći svetski stručnjak.

The world needs this kind of expertise,

Svetu je potrebna ova vrsta stručnosti

and it rewards the kind of people

i nagrađuju se ljudi

willing to acquire it.

koji su voljni da je dosegnu.

The existing information and what you self-discover

Postojeće informacije i ono što sami otkrijete

may at first seem skimpy and difficult to connect

mogu na početku delovati škrto i nepovezano

to other bodies of knowledge.

sa drugim saznanjima.

Well, if that's the case,

Ako je to slučaj,

good. Why hard instead of easy?

odlično. Ali zašto teško umesto lakog?

The answer deserves to be stated as Principle Number Four.

Odgovor zaslužuje da bude označen kao Četvrti princip.

In the attempt to make scientific discoveries,

U procesu naučnog otkrića

every problem is an opportunity,

svaki problem je šansa,

and the more difficult the problem,

i što je teži problem

the greater will be the importance of its solution.

to je od veće važnosti njegovo rešenje.

Now this brings me to a basic categorization

To me dovodi do osnovne podele

in the way scientific discoveries are made.

na načine preko kojih se dolazi do naučnih otkrića.

Scientists, pure mathematicians among them,

Naučnici, među njima i čisti matematičari,

follow one or the other of two pathways:

prate jedan od dva puta:

First through early discoveries,

kod prvog se ranim otkrićima

a problem is identified

identifikuje problem,

and a solution is sought.

i traži se rešenje.

The problem may be relatively small;

Problem može biti relativno mali;

for example, where exactly in a cruise ship does the norovirus begin to spread?

na primer, odakle tačno na brodu počinje širienje norovirusa ?

Or larger, what's the role of dark matter in the expansion of the universe?

Ili pak veći: koja je uloga crne materije u širenju univerzuma?

As the answer is sought, other phenomena are typically discovered

Dok traje potraga za odgovorom, često se sreću drugi fenomeni

and other questions are asked.

i postavljaju se nova pitanja.

This first of the two strategies is like a hunter,

Ova prva od dve strategije je kao lovac,

exploring a forest in search of a particular quarry,

koji istražuje šumu u potrazi za određenim plenom,

who finds other quarries along the way.

ali usput nailazi i na drugu lovinu.

The second strategy of research

Druga strategija istraživanja

is to study a subject broadly

je široko izučavanje teme,

searching for unknown phenomena or patterns of known phenomena

gde se vrši potraga za nepoznatim fenomenima i obrascima poznatih fenomena

like a hunter in what we call "the naturalist's trance,"

poput lovca koji se nalazi u ,,prirodnjačkom transu"

the researcher of mind is open to anything interesting,

kada je um istraživača otvoren ka bilo čemu interesantnom,

any quarry worth taking.

ka bilo kakvom plenu vrednog lova.

The search is not for the solution of the problem,

Ne vrši se potraga za rešenjem problema

but for problems themselves worth solving.

već za samim problemima vrednim rešavanja.

The two strategies of research,

Ove dve strategije izučavanja,

original research, can be stated as follows,

originalnog izučavanja, mogu biti objašnjene na sledeći način,

in the final principle I'm going to offer you:

u poslednjem principu koji nudim:

For every problem in a given discipline of science,

za svaki problem u datoj naučnoj disciplini,

there exists a species or entity or phenomenon

postoji stvar, entitet ili fenomen

ideal for its solution.

koji je idealan za njegovo rešenje.

And conversely, for every species or other entity

Nasuprot tome, svakoj stvari, entitetu

or phenomenon, there exist important problems

ili fenomenu odgovaraju bitni problemi

for the solution of which, those particular objects of research are ideally suited.

čijem rešenju spomenuti objekti savršeno odgovaraju.

Find out what they are.

Otkrijte šta su.

You'll find your own way to discover,

Naći ćete način da otkrijete,

to learn, to teach.

da naučite, da učite druge.

The decades ahead will see dramatic advances

U narednim decenijama će se videti dramatičan napredak

in disease prevention, general health, the quality of life.

u sprečavanju bolesti, sveopštem zdravlju, kvalitetu života.

All of humanity depends on the knowledge and practice of the medicine and the science

Celokupno čovečanstvo zavisi od znanja i primene medicine i nauke

behind it you will master.

kojom ste zagospodarili.

You have chosen a calling that will come in steps

Izabrali ste poziv koje će vam postepeno

to give you satisfaction, at its conclusion, of a life well lived.

pružiti zadovoljstvo na kraju dobro proživljenog života.

And I thank you for having me here tonight.

Hvala vam što ste me primili večeras.

(Applause)

(Aplauz)

Oh, thank you.

Oh, hvala vam.

Thank you very much.

Hvala vam puno.

I salute you.

Pozdravljam vas.