Essay 51
CATEGORIES OF QUESTIONS FOR NUCLEAR SCIENTISTS
In 1987 I gave a presentation of the “present and future” to some members of the laboratory. There were three segments that are maybe worth recalling.
One was an answer to the question, “Can we categorize nuclear questions?”
It was my contention that we could.

Category:

1. ? ≡ Matters in this category need work.

2. ?1/2 ≡ That’s your opinion.

3. ?2 ≡ Don’t believe it (question mark squared)

4. ?10 ≡ Imagine that! (question mark to the 10th power)

5. Lim ?→ 0, [?1/? ] ≡ ?! ≡ You’ll never be lucky enough to see it.

6. Lim ?→ ∞, [?1/? ] ≡ Stand Back!










I had also come to some conclusions about our test program.

AS THE TEST PROGRAM HAS AGED, WE HAVE SUBSTITUTED

1. Satisfaction for Excitement
2. Memories for Visions
3. Objectives for Necessities
4. Management for Leadership
5. Rules for Reason.

WE NOW PREFER

1. Politics to Science
2. Abstractions to Understanding
3. Institutional Survival to National Needs
4. Planning to Doing
5. Budget meetings to any other activity
6. Giving “Moral” support rather than Actual Help