The problem of scientific greatness and the role of ordinary scientists

2020/03/09 by Nathan Hagen, Hagen, Nathan
Arts and Humanities · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Historical Studies in Science #History and Developments in Astronomy #History and Philosophy of Physics (physics.hist-ph) #History of Science and Natural History

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2003.05894

openalex publication_date 2020/03/09 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

Textbooks in physics use science history to humanize the subject and motivate students for learning, but they deal exclusively with the heroes of the field and ignore the vast majority of scientists who have not found their way into history. What is the role of these invisible scientists --- are they merely the worker ants in the colony of science, whose main utility is to facilitate the heroes of the field?

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