--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Physicists have a bias to aspire to be…" description: "\"Physicists have a bias to aspire to be \"seers\" like Einstein rather than \"craftspeople\" who do simple and practical research. I have seen that in econo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fc/robert-j-shiller-8591_aspire_physicists-have-a-bias-to-aspire-to-be-s_2143427.jpg" --- # Physicists have a bias to aspire to be "seers" like… ![“Physicists have a bias to aspire to be "seers" like Einstein rather than "craftspeople" who do simple and practical research. I have seen that in economics departments. The same must be true to some extent in other departments.” quote by Robert J. Shiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fc/robert-j-shiller-8591_aspire_physicists-have-a-bias-to-aspire-to-be-s_2143427.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fc/robert-j-shiller-8591_aspire_physicists-have-a-bias-to-aspire-to-be-s_2143427.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fc/robert-j-shiller-8591_aspire_physicists-have-a-bias-to-aspire-to-be-s_2143427.jpg) > “Physicists have a bias to aspire to be "seers" like Einstein rather than "craftspeople" who do simple and practical research. I have seen that in economics departments. The same must be true to some extent in other departments.” [Robert J. Shiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-shiller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that many scientists and scholars prefer lofty, visionary work over modest, practical research, which can limit useful outcomes. **In simple terms:** Researchers often chase fame rather than useful work. Key Takeaway Value practical research as much as visionary ideas. Themes ambition practicality research culture Mood reflective critical Type analytical observational When to use this quote - academic hiring - grant proposals - project design - collaborative teams Key Concepts innovation risk aversion disciplinary norms Questions to Reflect On - How does prestige influence research choices? - What incentives could balance vision and practicality? A Different Perspective Focusing only on prestige can neglect incremental progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aspire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspire/) [Being true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) [Bias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias/) [Department](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/department/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Einstein Craftspeople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/einstein-craftspeople-4473349/) [Like Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-einstein-1058977/) [Physicist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicist/) [Physicists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicists/) [Physicists Bias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicists-bias-4473348/) [Practicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practicals/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Research Seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research-seen-4473350/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Seers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seers/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) ## Related quotes > [Someone like Einstein was quite clearly a moralist, and he had a very highly developed political vision and was very spiritual in his way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-miller/someone-like-einstein-was-quite-clearly-a-moralist-and-he-had-a-very/) [Jonathan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-miller/) > [As we know from the work of certain fundamental physicists, people like Einstein were very dependent upon conjuring up visual images in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-miller/as-we-know-from-the-work-of-certain-fundamental-physicists-people/) [Jonathan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-miller/) > [“Eat like Einstein.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/eat-like-einstein/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Like for Einstein, and for people who create nuclear weapons, the problem with the pursuit of knowledge and the pursuit of the greater good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-riley/like-for-einstein-and-for-people-who-create-nuclear-weapons-the/) [Tom Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-riley/) > [I ended up being a businessman unwittingly. I wanted to be an academic; I wanted to be like Einstein.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/i-ended-up-being-a-businessman-unwittingly-i-wanted-to-be-an-academic/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [“In one of our early conversations, Bob said to me, "I like Einstein as a character, because everybody knows who he is." In a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/in-one-of-our-early-conversations-bob-said-to-me-i-like-einstein-as-a/) [philip glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [Yeah, that test says he's dumb as a fence post, but when he hits he looks like Einstein to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/yeah-that-test-says-he-s-dumb-as-a-fence-post-but-when-he-hits-he/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [People have this idea that if you're not brilliant like Einstein, you can't be a scientist. And that's just a myth. He was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-hammel/people-have-this-idea-that-if-you-re-not-brilliant-like-einstein-you/) [Heidi Hammel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-hammel/) > [He has a brain like Einstein's - dead since 1955](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-perret/he-has-a-brain-like-einstein-s-dead-since-1955/) [Gene Perret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-perret/) > [As a seer, I naturally can see the evolutionary potential of a being. But the potential will not necessarily be actualized. 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Shiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-shiller/) > [When I see the Trump supporters on television explaining themselves, I don't get a feeling of supreme confidence. They've created a revolution, and now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-shiller/when-i-see-the-trump-supporters-on-television-explaining-themselves-i/) [Robert J. Shiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-shiller/) > [I didn't vote for Trump. So we've got him. Let's hope for the best. He might do something good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-shiller/i-didn-t-vote-for-trump-so-we-ve-got-him-let-s-hope-for-the-best-he/) [Robert J. Shiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-shiller/) > [Stock prices are likely to be among the prices that are relatively vulnerable to purely social movements because there is no accepted theory by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-shiller/stock-prices-are-likely-to-be-among-the-prices-that-are-relatively/) [Robert J. 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Shiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-shiller/) [Explore all 79 Robert J. Shiller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-shiller/) ## More Aspire quotes > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/vow-to-be-valiant-resolve-to-be-radiant-determine-to-be-dynamic/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [I love it when television is shot in a cinematic way and I think to aspire to that is no bad thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-rhys/i-love-it-when-television-is-shot-in-a-cinematic-way-and-i-think-to/) [Matthew Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-rhys/) > [At the end of the day, everyone knows what it is to be loved and to aspire to love someone, to want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/at-the-end-of-the-day-everyone-knows-what-it-is-to-be-loved-and-to/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [We should all aspire in life to do a multitude of things well - to be a great father, to be a good husband,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-modine/we-should-all-aspire-in-life-to-do-a-multitude-of-things-well-to-be-a/) [Matthew Modine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-modine/) > [We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-try-we-fail-we-posture-we-aspire-we-pontificate-and-then-we-age/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I aspire my country eventually has a league where all players play 50 games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-chhetri/i-aspire-my-country-eventually-has-a-league-where-all-players-play-50/) [Sunil Chhetri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-chhetri/) > [I'm exceptional in everything that I do and I aspire to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omarosa-manigault-newman/i-m-exceptional-in-everything-that-i-do-and-i-aspire-to-do/) [Omarosa Manigault Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omarosa-manigault-newman/) > [One of the reasons you study at great institutions or aspire to work in great corporations is that you hope to acquire the values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harsha-bhogle/one-of-the-reasons-you-study-at-great-institutions-or-aspire-to-work/) [Harsha Bhogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harsha-bhogle/) > [So if you aspire to be a good conversationali st, be an attentive listener. To be interesting, be interested. Ask questions that other persons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/so-if-you-aspire-to-be-a-good-conversationali-st-be-an-attentive/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [... the majority of colored men do not yet think it worth while that women aspire to higher education… The three R's, a littlemusic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-julia-cooper/the-majority-of-colored-men-do-not-yet-think-it-worth-while-that/) [Anna Julia Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-julia-cooper/) > [For me, there has always been a disconnect with the sort of elitist structure of the high-art world - and my distaste for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/for-me-there-has-always-been-a-disconnect-with-the-sort-of-elitist/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [There is not a right too long denied to which we do not aspire in order to achieve; there is not a wrong too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-gompers/there-is-not-a-right-too-long-denied-to-which-we-do-not-aspire-in/) [Samuel Gompers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-gompers/) [Browse all 650 Aspire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Physicists have a bias to aspire to be \"seers\" like Einstein rather than \"craftspeople\" who do simple and practical research. 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