4 ms·
That is probably what is desirable for the field as a whole. But as an individual, not a good idea to shoot for high variance.
by jjeaff 7y ago
That is probably what is desirable for the field as a whole. But as an individual, not a good idea to shoot for high variance.
- throwaway2048 7y agoPart of the issue is that scientific fields are very punishing if you deliver negative results, thus the incentive to "shoot for the moon" is greatly lessened.
- scottlocklin 7y agoAnyone who wants high mean low variance career should become an accountant or a dentist: the payoff is vastly better, and it takes a comparable amount of intelligence. This low variance attitude is why we can't have nice things. We have more "scientists" alive now than at any time in human history, and it is boring and useless with virtually no downstream results.