I think this is why some mathematicians and scientists struggle philosophically with the twin concepts of unprovability and unknowability. The word "conceive" comes from the Latin and means to hold or grasp onto something. In one of those interesting linguistic connections that beautifies the English language, it also refers to the germination of new life, which of course in order to exist in the world must emerge from its cocoon of conception. Grasping and releasing imply one another.
The Feynman quote describes pretty well how I've gone about studying science and mathematics; it also describes a strategy for how not to be taken seriously by professional academics.
love this! you may like ursula le guin’s carrier bag theory of fiction – she talks about stories of conquest vs stories of carrying, and she argues that carrying is much more important to human flourishing than conquest
This resonates. I would frame the distinction slightly differently — I spent 3+ decades in conquest mode professionally but was always aesthetically curious in my hobbies.
The surprise of the past three years has been discovering that the hobby mode of curiosity, brought into writing, builds something conquest mode never could: pattern recognition across domains that only emerges when you stop looking for it.
I think this is why some mathematicians and scientists struggle philosophically with the twin concepts of unprovability and unknowability. The word "conceive" comes from the Latin and means to hold or grasp onto something. In one of those interesting linguistic connections that beautifies the English language, it also refers to the germination of new life, which of course in order to exist in the world must emerge from its cocoon of conception. Grasping and releasing imply one another.
The Feynman quote describes pretty well how I've gone about studying science and mathematics; it also describes a strategy for how not to be taken seriously by professional academics.
love this! you may like ursula le guin’s carrier bag theory of fiction – she talks about stories of conquest vs stories of carrying, and she argues that carrying is much more important to human flourishing than conquest
ooo I'll check out thanks shobha!
This resonates. I would frame the distinction slightly differently — I spent 3+ decades in conquest mode professionally but was always aesthetically curious in my hobbies.
The surprise of the past three years has been discovering that the hobby mode of curiosity, brought into writing, builds something conquest mode never could: pattern recognition across domains that only emerges when you stop looking for it.
I wrote about coddiwompling recently — it's a word you might also like. Explore at your own peril: https://rajeshachanta.substack.com/p/coddiwomple?utm_source=publication-search :)