From David Pearcey
Physicists trying to hunt down the ultimate laws of physics will not be “there” for a long time, if ever (27 May, p 52). We will never understand the nature of the universe or have a complete picture of how it functions while our academic system is oriented toward specialised incremental research and shuts out students interested in broad-minded multidisciplinary research.
Our academic system is geared to training researchers to become specialists in very narrow fields, while remaining ignorant of the broader scope of science. The need to get young researchers to the frontiers of science as soon as possible causes students to specialise early in their careers and rush through the basics of science to get to their chosen field, without questioning the foundations it all stands on.
Bayswater, Western Australia
