The Making of a Scientist Four Levels and Question Answers
Four Levels of The Making of a Scientist - V.S. Ramachandran
1. LITERAL COMPREHENSION :
V.S. Ramachandran, in his autobiographical essay, The Making of a Scientist at first defines what science is and later, he goes on describing from where he has got supported and influenced. He says to be a scientist, curiosity only is not enough, there also needs three types of curiosity: Obsessive, passionate, and pathology. He defines science is a love affair with nature. He too, from his early life, loves nature as a friend and source of inspiration. In fact his family members and teachers have supported him a lot. His mother brought him many seashells at home to make his study easier. Similarly, his father brought him microscope. In British school in Bangkok, he was helped especially by two teachers Mrs. Vanit and Mrs. Panacharaya who had allowed him to take chemicals at home for experiment. Actually, he extremely admires Victoria era because according to him, in this age, many new worlds were opened up for e.g. the giraffe and pigmy were found out. He believes that in modern time, scientific research is done less than in past time. He goes on showing his pessimism saying that now people choose science for to be famous and there also lacks the support of finance. In this regard, he says that science can not get a good place if the scientists do not have complete freedom and financial. However He sees some good things in 20th centre in which time the DNA structure was discovered and similarly invention of technology like FMR and PET help to study brain. Finally he elaborates why he had chosen the field of neurology. He says that he chooses the field of neurology because from it, he could study the human nature and mood in depth and also could get more fun.
2.INTERPRETATION :
The essayist is trying to advice to a young scholar that to be a successful scientist needs others support, influence and complete freedom. For example, in romanticism, nature was everything to be a good poet. Here in the essay too, the writer says that involvement and observation of nature are necessary to be a good scientist. Not only this much, family supports are also essential. The writer's parents have also helped him more. His mother brought him seashell and his father bought him microscope to make him scientific studies easier. He is also supported by his teachers in Thailand and India. For e.g. in British school in Bangkok, he was allowed to take chemicals at home. He was also greatly influenced by the past scientist like Faraday, Darwin and so on. He asserts that science can not flourish in oppression, stress and depression. So scientists can do well in the time of complete freedom and in financial independence.
3.CRITICAL THINKING :
According to the essayist poetry and science are same. Personally I do not agree with essayist. Poetry and science are two different poles and they have many contrasts and differences. Poetry is subjective; meditative which are best on poet's personal feeling and emotions. They are highly imaginative and fictional. They lack fact and reality.
Science is more objective and based on fact. In order to get conclusion, scientists collect many evidences and also do many experimentation and observation. In science, there never comes fictional and imaginative matter. Science often aims to persuade the people giving realistic fact. The main purpose of a scientist is to reveal the hidden fact of the nature or universe. On the other hand, a poet using his highly imaginative mind tries to make real even for the unreal ideas.
4.ASSIMILATION :
After reading this essay, I came to know that to get success in any field especially to be a well known scientist , curiosity, motivation, freedom, the good family background, financial independence etc. play significant roles. I am highly influenced by the essay.
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Question Answers of The Making of a Scientist
Q.1. What advice would Ramachandran give to a young scholar wiling to become a scientist?
ANSWER : The essayist is trying to advice to a young scholar that to be a successful scientist needs others support, influence and complete freedom. For example, in romanticism, nature was everything to be a good poet. Here in the essay too, the writer says that involvement and observation of nature are necessary to be a good scientist. Not only this much, family supports are also essential. The writer's parents have also helped him more. His mother brought him seashell and his father bought him microscope to make him scientific studies easier. He is also supported by his teachers in Thailand and India. For e.g. in British school in Bangkok, he was allowed to take chemicals at home. He was also greatly influenced by the past scientist like Faraday, Darwin and so on. He asserts that science can not flourish in oppression, stress and depression. So scientists can do well in the time of complete freedom and in financial independence.
Q.2. Do you agree with Professor Ramchandran that science has a great deal in common with poetry ?
ANSWER : Personally I do not agree with essayist. Poetry and science are two different poles and they have many contrasts and differences. Poetry is subjective; meditative which are best on poet's personal feeling and emotions. They are highly imaginative and fictional. They lack fact and reality.
Science is more objective and based on fact. In order to get conclusion, scientists collect many evidences and also do many experimentation and observation. In science, there never comes fictional and imaginative matter. Science often aims to persuade the people giving realistic fact. The main purpose of a scientist is to reveal the hidden fact of the nature or universe. On the other hand, a poet using his highly imaginative mind tries to make real even for the unreal ideas.
Q.3. Besides his love for neurology, Ramachandran is interested in such things as the Indus Valley Script, skulls, ants and the cultivation of orchids. We have earlier met another accomplished scientist (Richard Feynman; pp. 85-98). Does Feynman share Ramachandra's curiosity about everything? Please document your answer.
ANSWER : An intelligent and generous man does not limit with particular field. For example, Ramachandran and Feynman were really multitalented and multidimensional figure. Besides his love for neurology, Ramachandran is interested in such things as the Indus Valley Script, skulls, ants and the cultivation of orchids. Yes, Feynman also shares Ramachandra's curiosity about everything.
Feynman was a student of physics. He passed undergraduate in Mit and enrolled in Princeton College for further study. Feynman was a physics student; however he did great contribution in biology. He did a research on a phase and discovered the double mutation process. His that discovery made him quite popular among the biology students.
Feynman was really multitalented . Being a student of physics, he gave the great contribution in the field of biology. This clearly hints us that Feynman and Ramachandran were both curious to know other application and did not only limit with their particular chosen field.
Q.4. Why did Professor Ramchandran choose neurology as his main research area?
ANSWER : He had a great interest in neurology. Many of his friends or reporter or students ask him why he had chosen this field. He had the list of things that fascinated to him to choose it. Among of them there are two reasons of choosing neurology as his main research areas. The first one is that in his time it was completely new field and he wanted to do something extraordinary thing. The second reason is that from the field of neurology, he could study the human nature and mood in depth and could get more fun.
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