Articles
No. 2(11) (2016): Boredom
Science and Boredom – the Philosophical Perspective
Abstract
In this paper the author tries to analyze the presence of boredom in science and, at the same time, to answer the question of whether science has to be boring (or if it should be boring). Examples from sociology, anthropology, and the history of science are presented. These examples suggest that boredom has repeatedly accompanied successful scientific endeavors. The idea of normal science, as proposed by Thomas Kuhn, is used to explain the presence of boredom in science and to argue that boredom and advanced scientific research are in fact inseparable. The analysis makes it possible to draw conclusions about science as well as about boredom. Contrary to what might be suggested by the philosophy of science, monotonous, uninteresting, or fragmentary research turns out to play an impor-tant role in science. At the same time, boredom can be seen as a catalyst of change and intellectual advancement. The difference between the feeling of boredom and the value of boring activity is also observed.
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