From A. C. ROSE-INNES
In ‘The myth of Michael Faraday’ (21 September), Jim Baggott gives a
list of famous scientists and goes on to say: ‘Rightly or wrongly, they
are known for their contributions to theoretical science. It appears that
we prize great thinkers above all others.’
Such statements encourage an unfortunate picture of scientists, because
it implies that the other kind of scientists – those who do experiments
– do not think about what they are doing. In fact, it is a pity that the
term ‘theoretical’ ever gained currency to describe a certain way of doing
science. In my own field of science, physics, there are those who use experiment
to investigate nature, and those who use mathematics. Experiment and mathematics
are merely the different tools used in the investigations – both kinds of
scientists have to think, and deeply. A better nomenclature would be ‘experimental’
and ‘mathematical’ physicist, implying method rather than attitude.
A. C. Rose-Innes University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology
Manchester
