The mysteries of the brain are often taken for granted. The average person (and their billions of neurons) is amazing system that adapts to a complex world in quickly and effortlessly. We are still at the first stages of understanding the neurobiology of healthy systems.
However neuroscience chooses not to expolore those everyday mysteries, instead choosing to focus on disfunctions, disorders, and diseases. Those mysteries are no less interesting but have limited application. Successful breakthroughs in the neuroscience of disfunction, disorder, and disease could directly help hundreds (perhaps thousands). Succesful breakthoughs in basic neuroscience could directly help millions (perahaps billions).
That distinction makes my research choices easier.
July 23, 2012
July 11, 2012
Idea List & Hit List
For every project I have two running lists: an idea list and a hit list. I sperate thinking (idea list) from doing (hit list).
An idea list is an inbox for a specific project. It welcomes all, without critical evaluation.
A hit list are the next actions for a specific project. I take ephemeral elements from the idea list and transform them into the physical reality of action. Since a hit list is commitments (to myself), it stays short (with lots of critical evaluation).
Externalizing my thoughts and furture actions allows them to be more easily tweaked and changed.
The concepts are most important but there are tricks & tips - these lists are text files synced via Dropbox. That means I can work anywhere and anytime, not in the frantic workaholism but in a reckless joy.
An idea list is an inbox for a specific project. It welcomes all, without critical evaluation.
A hit list are the next actions for a specific project. I take ephemeral elements from the idea list and transform them into the physical reality of action. Since a hit list is commitments (to myself), it stays short (with lots of critical evaluation).
Externalizing my thoughts and furture actions allows them to be more easily tweaked and changed.
The concepts are most important but there are tricks & tips - these lists are text files synced via Dropbox. That means I can work anywhere and anytime, not in the frantic workaholism but in a reckless joy.
July 2, 2012
Neuroscience as Frontier
Universally, the frontier is a place for explorers, pioneers, and settlers to change and be changed.
I put my money (and time and attention) on neuroscience as a science frontier of my lifetime.
I have been changed by my explorations of the neuroscience frontier. Given the pace of change in the field, I developed the ability to modify previously held beliefs. Given the range of topics that could influence a project, I developed a basic working knowledge in many academic fields (from neuroanatomy to applied mathematics). In order to ask the questions worth answering, I took the time to develop deep expertise in a narrow specialty.
Those abilities also enrich my life outside of science.
I put my money (and time and attention) on neuroscience as a science frontier of my lifetime.
I have been changed by my explorations of the neuroscience frontier. Given the pace of change in the field, I developed the ability to modify previously held beliefs. Given the range of topics that could influence a project, I developed a basic working knowledge in many academic fields (from neuroanatomy to applied mathematics). In order to ask the questions worth answering, I took the time to develop deep expertise in a narrow specialty.
Those abilities also enrich my life outside of science.
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