Joseph’s answer to “How do you deal with writer’s block?” > Likes and Comments
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As an ethnographic researcher, the same is true about spending scads of time in the community one is studying. Patterns will emerge that tell the story of that community.
Hi Barbara: What a fascinating field to be involved in. I have a degree in Anthropology, but never decided to go further with the degree. Of course, that was a million years ago. I can definitely see the patterns that you are talking about, and in the end they will tell you a story, many times a fascinating story. Have a wonderful rest of the weekend.
I am an applied mathematician. What fascinates me most is to have a well-founded idea or hypothesis. Then you test it. It proves to be wrong. So, why was it wrong? It is sort of difficult to get the students to appreciate this.
Mathematics if, I'm not mistaken, is a pure science. Believe it or not, DA Vinci and Einstein had trouble with math. DA Vinci relied on help from a priest who was a mathematician, and Einstein on colleagues. That being said, a well founded idea is just that, unproven until it goes under intense testing. Such as cures for the current deadly virus. Yet, an idea or hypothesis might be wrong, but that does not make it a bad idea, just not correct as judged and measured by a mathematician. In different environments and cultures that unproven hypothesis might work.
Mathematics- and statistics- are both a pure and an applied science. I see your point, which I think was nicely formulated by Ramon Malgaref, a very thoughtful oceanographer. He said something like:” A statistician take all information into pieces, throw the pieces into a hat and stir them vigorously, then she/he picks the pieces up again and try to make some sense of it. “(as remembered). This is true. However, it is also true that finding patterns where no patterns exist is common. And in medicine, it could be dangerous. However, most hypotheses do not imply anything dangerous, for example in anthropology. (The question mark is meant seriously)
I think I agree with that. In medicine and science it could be very dangerous. In sciences like psychology, anthro. and sociology it could be quite misleading, and its consequences could also be very dangerous, especially when government policies are relying on tainted data.
Yes! I find it uncanny sometimes how they hammer at me to get up and write, and they won't let go. I interviewed one character and she said: 'Well you've got my name wrong from the start.' I asked her what her name was and she handed it to me.
It's amazing how it works, and where it might take you.
Fascinating answer and comment thread, thanks, folks. I like the expression "tainted data", which I will pass on to my student granddaughter. As someone who is always trying to write, I agree that characters write their own book.
I always ask people what they remember about the Godfather movies? They never say the plot, but Michael, Sonny, Don Corleone. They remember the characters. It's the same with books and literature. At least, that is what I strongly believe.
A good observation! Again, I agree strongly.
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Barbara
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May 02, 2020 08:57AM
As an ethnographic researcher, the same is true about spending scads of time in the community one is studying. Patterns will emerge that tell the story of that community.
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Hi Barbara: What a fascinating field to be involved in. I have a degree in Anthropology, but never decided to go further with the degree. Of course, that was a million years ago. I can definitely see the patterns that you are talking about, and in the end they will tell you a story, many times a fascinating story. Have a wonderful rest of the weekend.
I am an applied mathematician. What fascinates me most is to have a well-founded idea or hypothesis. Then you test it. It proves to be wrong. So, why was it wrong? It is sort of difficult to get the students to appreciate this.
Mathematics if, I'm not mistaken, is a pure science. Believe it or not, DA Vinci and Einstein had trouble with math. DA Vinci relied on help from a priest who was a mathematician, and Einstein on colleagues. That being said, a well founded idea is just that, unproven until it goes under intense testing. Such as cures for the current deadly virus. Yet, an idea or hypothesis might be wrong, but that does not make it a bad idea, just not correct as judged and measured by a mathematician. In different environments and cultures that unproven hypothesis might work.
Mathematics- and statistics- are both a pure and an applied science. I see your point, which I think was nicely formulated by Ramon Malgaref, a very thoughtful oceanographer. He said something like:” A statistician take all information into pieces, throw the pieces into a hat and stir them vigorously, then she/he picks the pieces up again and try to make some sense of it. “(as remembered). This is true. However, it is also true that finding patterns where no patterns exist is common. And in medicine, it could be dangerous. However, most hypotheses do not imply anything dangerous, for example in anthropology. (The question mark is meant seriously)
I think I agree with that. In medicine and science it could be very dangerous. In sciences like psychology, anthro. and sociology it could be quite misleading, and its consequences could also be very dangerous, especially when government policies are relying on tainted data.
Yes! I find it uncanny sometimes how they hammer at me to get up and write, and they won't let go. I interviewed one character and she said: 'Well you've got my name wrong from the start.' I asked her what her name was and she handed it to me.
It's amazing how it works, and where it might take you.
Fascinating answer and comment thread, thanks, folks. I like the expression "tainted data", which I will pass on to my student granddaughter. As someone who is always trying to write, I agree that characters write their own book.
I always ask people what they remember about the Godfather movies? They never say the plot, but Michael, Sonny, Don Corleone. They remember the characters. It's the same with books and literature. At least, that is what I strongly believe.
A good observation! Again, I agree strongly.
