Scott wrote “Seriously, I constantly meet people who ask me questions like: ‘could quantum algorithms have implications for biomechanical systems?’ Or ‘could neural nets provide insight to the P versus NP problem?’ And I struggle to get across to them what you’ve articulated so clearly here: that part of being a successful researcher is figuring out what isn’t related to what else.”
But another part is looking at things from a different perspective—sometimes, a researcher might ask herself a question such as: “What would it be like if biomechanical systems were governed by quantum algorithms?” Not because she thinks these things really must be related, but because anything that provides a new angle has the potential to spark a creative solution or insight.
Scott wrote “Seriously, I constantly meet people who ask me questions like: ‘could quantum algorithms have implications for biomechanical systems?’ Or ‘could neural nets provide insight to the P versus NP problem?’ And I struggle to get across to them what you’ve articulated so clearly here: that part of being a successful researcher is figuring out what isn’t related to what else.”
But another part is looking at things from a different perspective—sometimes, a researcher might ask herself a question such as: “What would it be like if biomechanical systems were governed by quantum algorithms?” Not because she thinks these things really must be related, but because anything that provides a new angle has the potential to spark a creative solution or insight.
Also… maybe they could be related! You don’t want to rule it out too soon.