• Question: Is being a Scientist the most important job in the world?

    Asked by 535cesf27 to Kylie, Matt, Bex, RobB, Sam on 12 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Sam Briggs

      Sam Briggs answered on 12 Jun 2016:

      Hi 535cesf27,

      I answered a similar question to this elsewhere, so the short version is here: no, I think all jobs are important, but a life isn’t measured by a job. Do what you enjoy and what you find important, not what someone tells you is, or society deems to be.

      Hope that helps?

    • Photo: Kylie Belchamber

      Kylie Belchamber answered on 13 Jun 2016:

      I think science is really important. It allows us to understand ourselves and the world around us, and is really fun to do!
      Science also has an effect on politics and the government. A lot of laws are made because scientists discovered things. A few examples would be:
      1. The greenhouse effect – the world is warming up due to carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and we need to fix this.
      2. How to look after people with mental illness, instead of lock them in prison like they did hundreds of years ago
      3. What happens in the brains of murderers, and what makes them kill
      4. What drugs should we give to sick people, and why are they better over other drugs

      So philosophically, I think science is really important. I wouldn’t say it is the most important job, as there are so many jobs that are needed in the world. It also shows that scientists need other people to make their work have an impact in the world. We need politicians, and newspaper journalists, and editors, and engineers, and factory workers, and designers and maths people and loads more. So if you want to get involved in science as a job, you don’t have to just look at straight forward science, there are lots of options!

    • Photo: Matt Dunn

      Matt Dunn answered on 13 Jun 2016:

      Hi 535cesf27,

      It mostly depends on what you find important! You’re asking a scientist if being a scientist is important, so I’m quite biased from the start, but I believe that importance is a matter of perspective.

      Science itself is incredibly important, but when it’s broken down into jobs it gets much more difficult, so I think being a scientist is important, but the MOST important job depends on your way of thinking!

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