Comment by rf_physics
18 hours ago
Apologies if this is against the rules, but could I ask if you have some background in scientific research (maybe you could elaborate lightly on topics you've worked on)?
From my perspective, this practice is quite bad mannered, unusual, and heavily frowned upon, but I recognize it's possible that these stories might be more common in other fields. Still, I'd appreciate a strong sign that you aren't making these statements up based on secondhand accounts of what 'academia is usually like'.
CS PhD, used to be a professor, have worked at several industry research labs since.
> this practice is quite bad mannered, unusual, and heavily frowned upon,
Yes, it is.
Maybe you missed my point?
The fact that is "quite bad mannered, unusual, and heavily frowned upon" does not stop it from happening, and it is common for all high profile inventions and discoveries.
This does not disqualify the person doing the scooping, history remembers them as having the credit, and quietly forgets the person who was scooped.
My initial read of this
> Pretty much all of math and science history is basically this pattern again and again. I'm sure all of that was rude as well.
was that you were trying to suggest that it wasn't. It seems we actually share similar views here then? I cannot say anything about how common it is, since I've been pretty lucky when collaborating I guess.
I meant that it's very common when it comes to high profile discoveries and inventions.
If you have made one, and there was never any dishonest competition, you have indeed been very lucky.
I haven't, but the history of science is rather nasty.