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You have ... been told that science grows like an…

“You have ... been told that science grows like an organism. You have been told that, if we today see further than our predecessors, it is only because we stand on their shoulders. But this [Nobel Prize Presentation] is an occasion on which I should prefer to remember, not the giants upon whose…” quote by Peter Medawar
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“You have ... been told that science grows like an organism. You have been told that, if we today see further than our predecessors, it is only because we stand on their shoulders. But this [Nobel Prize Presentation] is an occasion on which I should prefer to remember, not the giants upon whose shoulders we stood, but the friends with whom we stood arm in arm ... colleagues in so much of my work.”

Peter Medawar

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Science advances through collaboration, not just standing on past giants.

In simple terms: Science is a collective effort.

Key Takeaway

Value teamwork and shared ideas.

Themes

science collaboration progress

Mood

reflective grateful

Type

academic inspirational

When to use this quote

  • research labs
  • academic conferences
  • cross‑disciplinary projects
  • mentorship

Key Concepts

knowledge building peer support

Questions to Reflect On

  • Who are your scientific collaborators?
  • How do you support peers?
A Different Perspective

Focusing solely on individuals can ignore systemic issues.

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