[2]:
There's another trait on the side which I want to talk about; that trait is ambiguity. It took me a while to discover its importance. Most people like to believe something is or is not true.Great scientists tolerate ambiguity very well. They believe the theory enough to go ahead; they doubt it enough to notice the errors and faults so they can step forward and create the new replacement theory. If you believe too much you'll never notice the flaws; if you doubt too much you won't get started. It requires a lovely balance.
[1]
● Raise your standards as high as you can live with, avoid wasting your time on routine problems, and always try to work as closely as possible at the boundary of your abilities. Do this because it is the only way of discovering how that boundary should be moved forward.
● Before embarking on an ambitious project, try to kill it.
There's another trait on the side which I want to talk about; that trait is ambiguity. It took me a while to discover its importance. Most people like to believe something is or is not true.Great scientists tolerate ambiguity very well. They believe the theory enough to go ahead; they doubt it enough to notice the errors and faults so they can step forward and create the new replacement theory. If you believe too much you'll never notice the flaws; if you doubt too much you won't get started. It requires a lovely balance.
[1]
● Raise your standards as high as you can live with, avoid wasting your time on routine problems, and always try to work as closely as possible at the boundary of your abilities. Do this because it is the only way of discovering how that boundary should be moved forward.
● Before embarking on an ambitious project, try to kill it.
In Dijkstra's advice, you see this ambiguity metioned by Hamming. Your need to balance it. When setting up a plan, you need to strive for a balance on your own based on your desire, talent, and timeline.
Links:
[1]Dijkstra's advice to a young scientist, http://lucis.net/archives/2004/03/02/dijkstras-advice-to-a-young-scientist/
[2]You and Your Research by Richard Hamming, http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~robins/YouAndYourResearch.html
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