Giorgio Parisi: “Fundamental science is crucial.”

TL;DR

Fundamental and applied science must advance together because useful applications can emerge unexpectedly from basic research. Giorgio Parisi says researchers should choose problems they find deeply interesting and believe they can contribute to, even when seemingly simple questions are extremely difficult to understand. He also argues that public understanding matters because citizens ultimately support scientific work.

Transcript

hello hello am i speaking with professor parisi yes i'm george hello my name is adam smith i'm calling from the website of the nobel prize many congratulations on the award of the nobel thank you very kind of course there has been speculation that you might be in the running for a nobel prize for some years how does it feel to be awarded the prize ... Read More

Key Insights

• Giorgio Parisi sees the Nobel Prize as recognition of both his lifelong work and the importance of complex systems. He expresses happiness that a field he helped found and develop has received recognition from the Nobel Prize as well as from other awards.
• The key to choosing a research problem is finding work that feels deeply interesting and intellectually enjoyable. Parisi recalls Nicola Cabibbo's advice that scientists should work on a problem only when working on it is fun, while acknowledging that fun is difficult to define precisely.
• Scientific curiosity is strengthened by the possibility of discovering a new idea or something unexpected. Parisi chooses subjects that interest him, where he believes there is room for surprise and where he thinks he has the capacity to add something valuable.
• A simple problem can still be extremely difficult to understand. Parisi distinguishes a problem's apparent simplicity from the difficulty of studying it precisely, emphasizing that researchers may face basic questions for which they currently lack a complete understanding.
• Fundamental science is crucial because useful applications may arise from it in unexpected ways. Parisi argues against moving too far toward applied science alone and says that basic and applied research should advance together for the benefit of humanity.
• Government decisions do not always reflect the public's understanding of fundamental science. Parisi believes people usually appreciate its importance, but says policymakers sometimes forget it when making decisions, with levels of support differing between countries such as South Korea and Italy.
• Public understanding of science is important because people ultimately pay for scientific work. Parisi wants those supporting research to have some understanding of what science is being conducted, especially as the Nobel Prize brings greater attention to his work and to science generally.
• Winning the Nobel Prize creates immediate attention and disruption through increased contact from others. Parisi expects that answering the day's phone calls will take several days, but hopes the award will not change his life too much despite the heightened public interest.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does Giorgio Parisi feel about receiving the Nobel Prize?

Giorgio Parisi says he is very happy because the Nobel Prize recognizes both his lifelong work and the importance of the field he helped develop. He describes himself as one of the founders of the study of complex systems and values the fact that this work has now been recognized by the Nobel Prize as well as by other awards.

Q: How does Giorgio Parisi choose scientific problems to study?

Giorgio Parisi chooses problems that he finds deeply interesting and where he believes he has the capacity to add something. Recalling advice from his mentor Nicola Cabibbo, he says researchers should work on a problem only if working on it is fun. That attraction can involve the prospect of a new idea, an unexpected result, or another intellectually engaging possibility.

Q: What does Giorgio Parisi mean when he says research should be fun?

For Giorgio Parisi, fun in research is not a precisely defined quality. It refers to finding a problem deeply interesting and feeling that exploring it could produce a new idea or something unexpected. He also connects this enjoyment with judgment: a scientist should believe that the chosen subject offers an opportunity to contribute something through their own abilities.

Q: Do scientific problems need to seem impossible to be worthwhile?

Scientific problems do not need to appear impossible to be worthwhile. Giorgio Parisi says a problem may look relatively simple while remaining extremely hard to study and understand precisely. Researchers can therefore encounter major intellectual difficulty in basic-looking questions, especially when current methods or knowledge do not yet provide a satisfactory explanation of what is happening.

Q: Why does Giorgio Parisi consider fundamental science crucial?

Giorgio Parisi considers fundamental science crucial because practical applications can emerge from basic research in unexpected ways. He argues that science should not move too far toward applied work alone. Instead, fundamental and applied science should proceed together, allowing basic discoveries to contribute eventually to applications and outcomes that are useful for humanity.

Q: How does fundamental science contribute to applied science?

Fundamental science contributes to applied science by creating knowledge from which practical uses may later emerge. Giorgio Parisi emphasizes that the path from basic research to an application is often unexpected, so the value of a fundamental investigation may not be obvious at the beginning. This uncertainty is one reason he believes basic and applied science should be supported together.

Q: What does Giorgio Parisi say about government support for basic research?

Giorgio Parisi says people usually understand the importance of fundamental science, but governments sometimes forget it when decisions are made. He contrasts countries by noting that South Korea supports fundamental science while Italy's support is at a very low level. Even so, he expresses confidence and hope that this situation will change in the future.

Q: Why does public understanding of scientific research matter?

Public understanding matters because, as Giorgio Parisi observes, people ultimately pay for scientific work. He believes they should have some understanding of the science being conducted. The additional attention created by the Nobel Prize can disrupt his routine through phone calls, but it also creates an opportunity for more people to understand scientific activity and its importance.

Summary

In this video, Professor Parisi, who has been awarded the Nobel Prize, discusses his work on complex systems and the importance of fundamental science. He also talks about the need for the government to understand and support fundamental science. Additionally, he shares his perspective on the attention he will receive after winning the Nobel Prize.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does it feel to be awarded the Nobel Prize?

Professor Parisi expresses his happiness and gratitude for receiving the Nobel Prize. He sees it as a recognition of the importance of the field he has worked on for many years and developed since the early days of studying complex systems.

Q: What attracts Professor Parisi to a particular problem?

For Professor Parisi, the key factor in choosing a problem to work on is finding it deeply interesting and enjoyable. He believes that working on something fun leads to unexpected ideas and breakthroughs.

Q: Does Professor Parisi choose problems that are almost impossible?

The complexity of the problem is not necessarily a deciding factor for Professor Parisi. While a problem may seem relatively simple, it can still be extremely hard to fully understand and study. The challenge lies in unraveling the underlying mechanisms and finding solutions.

Q: How does the recognition from the Nobel Prize highlight the importance of fundamental science in understanding climate change?

Professor Parisi agrees that fundamental science plays a crucial role in understanding climate change. By recognizing his work, the Nobel Prize emphasizes the significance of studying the fundamentals and how they contribute to applied science and finding solutions for humanity.

Q: Do people generally understand the importance of fundamental science?

Generally, people do understand the importance of fundamental science. However, there are instances where governments overlook its significance when making decisions. Professor Parisi mentions countries like South Korea, which values fundamental science, but also highlights the need for other governments to do the same.

Q: How does Professor Parisi feel about the increased attention that comes with winning the Nobel Prize?

Professor Parisi hopes that the attention won't change his life too much. He anticipates a temporary disruption due to a high volume of calls, but he believes it is important for people interested in science to have some understanding of the work he does.

Takeaways

Professor Parisi's perspective on his Nobel Prize win reflects his dedication to studying complex systems. His work, which spans various fields, demonstrates the importance of fundamental science in understanding complex phenomena such as climate change. Additionally, his desire for governments to value and support fundamental science highlights the need for a balance between fundamental and applied sciences. The recognition from the Nobel Prize will inevitably bring greater attention to his work, but he remains hopeful that people will gain a deeper understanding of science through this recognition.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Giorgio Parisi responds to the Nobel Prize announcement with happiness, viewing the award as recognition of his lifelong work and the wider importance of complex systems. He notes that he helped found the study of complex systems and appreciates seeing the field recognized by the Nobel Prize alongside his previous honors.

• Parisi says his mentor Nicola Cabibbo advised researchers to work on a problem only when working on it is fun. For Parisi, that means selecting deeply interesting questions where new ideas or unexpected discoveries may arise, while also believing that he has the capacity to make a meaningful contribution.

• Parisi argues that fundamental science is crucial and should develop alongside applied science because useful applications can emerge unexpectedly from basic research. He hopes government support for fundamental science will improve and stresses that the people who ultimately pay for scientific work should understand what research is being conducted.