Optimism is essential to scientific success

Daniel Kahneman on the optimism and exaggeration required for scientific success.

I have always believed that scientific research is another domain where a form of optimism is essential to success: I have yet to meet a successful scientist who lacks the ability to exaggerate the importance of what he or she is doing, and I believe that someone who lacks a delusional sense of significance will wilt in the face of repeated experiences of multiple small failures and rare successes, the fate of most researchers.

— Daniel Kahneman, [Thinking, Fast and Slow](Thinking Fast and Slow)

Last updated on Feb 05, 2024 12:37 -0500
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