In Loving Memory

Have been reading and summarizing my history of psych TB for the past week.

If it had not been such a mad rush, I wld have actually found the book a good and enjoyable read.

I'm still 1 chap away from finishing what I sld summarize for the coming test on WED.

Tight schedule.

But still, I cant resist the urge to write abt the thots that have occurred to me as I read abt the life stories of one great name in psych aft another.

I've got tons to say, but I shall restrict myself due to the lack of time and my throbbing wrists (from all the typing).

Firstly, I learned to appreciate Darwin's evolutionary theory. But I wld still say that I think it answers the question on evolution but not origin per se. And as I was reading Darwin, I happen to catch a documentary on the Galapagos Islands. Such a beautiful place... I wish I can go there some day :)

I also realised, especially through the account of Darwin, that most of the time, ppl start of not certain of whr they want to be and what they want to achieve. They walk along, pick up random skills, knock on random opportunities that were placed in their lives, meet some random ppl, and little did they realise that they are well on their way to establishing sth great.

It's also amazing how, in the past, each scientist can make significant contributions to so many diff areas of interest: physiology, psychology, philosophy, physics, zoology, geology, biology, arts....

Reading abt the limited opportunity that women of the 18th and 19th centuries had for education, I feel really fortunate to be born in a time (and place) where educational opportunities are often taken for granted. Distinguished women in psych like Calkins were often rejected official admission to university programs and were commonly refused doctorate recognition by the colleges even after they have completed the course and even submitted iconic dissertations.

I've never really appreciated the impt of research in psych. I understand its value and contribution to the field, but I hated the statistical component to it. But it was precisely the insistence of ppl like Pavlov and Watson on objective and precise research techniques that helped to create a firm scientific standing for psych. Can u imagine us complaining abt the fuzziness of this field? I can only imagine their frustration then...

The amount of time, devotion and effort that these researchers put into their work is greatly admirable although I can never imagine myself doing things like that. 10- 20 years on one study, to find out 1 answer, to explain 1 phenomenon, to establish 1 theory. Of course the repercussion of these efforts last way beyond even the existence of the person. Just look at evolution.

Looking at the lives of these great ppl, fast-forward, brings forth a sense of inexplicable emotion that is probably best represented by a sigh. (yes, I literally meant that it's a feeling I can't explain)

They often start off with such great amt of fervor and passion in what they want to achieve, they worked hard and furious at it, trying to pad their theories and hypotheses with great volumes of evidences, they attain certain breakthru and finally some sense of recognition. Then they start to worry abt how to further dev their theories, further support it, make it more applicable and practical. Finally, a new wave come crashing down and they lost their limelight to some up and coming, young scientist who is presenting on some fancy new theories. 10 yrs, 20 yrs, 30 yrs... they past in a wink. Life past in a wink.

It's like once the glitz and glamour of being the rising research star fades away, ppl are still trying desperately to reach for things to hold on to.

One of the great man died with depression abt his diminished power and standing in the field, yet another refused to attend an honorary convention, backing out at the very last minute due to his worry that he cnt control his emotions like how he had proclaimed in his famous theories. My fav scientist, A. Ein, was said to be still working on his Unified Theory even to his deathbed.

We have learnt much from the works of these ppl. But we also have much to learn from the ppl themselves, I believe.

I just dun like it when we're tested for it -_-