In his book "Realism and the Aim of Science," one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century, Karl Popper, wrote: "I think that there is only one way to science — or to philosophy, for that matter: to meet a problem, to see its beauty and fall in love with it; to get married to it, and to live with it happily, till death do you part - unless you should meet another and even more fascinating problem, or unless, indeed, you should obtain a solution. But even if you obtain a solution, you may then discover, to your delight, the existence of a whole family of enchanting though perhaps difficult problem children for whose welfare you may work, with a purpose, to the end of your days."
Isn't it an unexpected view of the phenomenon of the problem? In our culture, this word is overloaded with negative connotations like, "Oh, these problems are so annoying! I don't have the strength to solve them anymore. I just want harmony and peace. How much longer must I wait?" At best, the attitude towards the problem is like a parachute jump, as if one must gather the will to take a step into the abyss. But to admire the beauty of a problem, to fall in love with it, and to devote one's life to it — well, few of us are ready for that. And the point is not in the difficulty of the challenge, because real scientists deal with fundamental puzzles that the scientific community has tried to solve many times in the past, only to give up. No, the essence of a scientist's attitude towards a problem is that it lures, invigorates and inspires him, like how a performer waving their sleeves motivates a Belgian Malinois dog.
I suppose that scientists approach problems differently than ordinary people, for several reasons. Firstly, they voluntarily choose the problem, meaning they practice the mentality of a hunter, not a victim. Second, they appreciate the reward — the cocktail of hormones (adrenaline, dopamine, endorphins) that the body produces, and even more so when they successfully find the key to the cipher. Thirdly, scientists perceive problem-solving not as a painful burden, but as an enviable privilege bestowed on only a few. And fourthly, the deliberate practice over many years has allowed them to master the scientific method, so they have a strong confidence that there are no unsolvable problems at all. If you think about it, in terms of the attitude towards problems, there is no difference between a scientist and an entrepreneur.
Yours sincerely,
-Alexander
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