Let’s do this, people

Abstract

Science is a labor of love. That’s why I got into the business after a childhood obsessed with animals. Here, I offer a few scenes along my own winding path through a life of marine biological research. There are many such paths, and because scientific inquiry occupies such a big, unruly tent, careers in science tend to be idiosyncratic. Nevertheless, there are commonalities, notably collaboration, openness, and a dedication to understanding the objective reality of this amazing world. Not coincidentally, these are also important to thriving human societies. I have learned (and continue learning) this from both intensive field study and collaboration. Scientific understanding, like democracy, derives from the wisdom of crowds; they are inherently collective enterprises and thus cannot exist without the conviction—faith, if you prefer—that the collective wisdom of humanity will eventually triumph in reaching the truth. In other words, science is fundamentally democratic. For these reasons, science has always been a threat to authoritarians, crackpots, shysters, and the received wisdom of self-appointed prophets. The joy of practicing science, idiosyncratic as it may be, is what keeps most of us going. But more importantly, it is a sacred obligation—humanity needs to understand how the world works to inform evidence-based decisions that keep it working. Science and a citizenry that understands and respects it are central to the survival of civilization. We need to keep at it.