Center for Relativistic Laser Science

What is the difference between discussion and assertion?
If you type ‘discussion’ in synonym dictionary, several words such as conversation, debate, argument, talk, chat, dialogue appear. Among them, debate is in particular appealing to me. What we practice in the scientific meeting is in fact debate. Easier one is conversation or talk. Comfortable talk is again a sort of discussion. On the other hand, if you type 'assertion', statement, affirmation, claim, and content appear. Claim is appealing to me. This imply 'insist'. Two words are similar to each other but they have different nuance.

What I felt for last three months while joining the conferences is that people debate a lot during the discussion in particular when the scope of the meeting is narrow and have keen issues. What is amazing is that they stay cool after the debate, no feeling against anybody is left... It is just a scientific debate... We are fighting for what is right or what is wrong scientifically. This is indeed debate or discussion. Debate among humanism scientists is often nearly assertion. While debate from natural scientists is mostly based on observational facts, debate from humanism scientists is based on hypothesis in many cases rather than observational facts. As a matter of fact, even in natural sciences, when the debate goes deep and in that case we do not understand many things. In such a case, debate is rather towards hypothesis not on facts. In such a case, personal feeling is dominant and often big voice seems to win the debate. But not many people do not accept the debate because they all debate based on hypothesis that have not been proven.

In fact this happens even in the laboratory. It is not easy to debate by distinguishing fact and hypothesis. If one distinguishes this clearly during debate, debate is so clear and simple. If one knows how much he knows and how much he does not know, the debate is so simple. Debate based on fact, if one is not sure what he talks about, he may say this is my personal opinion or hypothesis. In fact this is the right method of discussion.

Sometimes, after discussion, people are uncomfortable. This is certainly when people discuss the subjects with a lot of hypothesis or mixed facts and hypothesis. Students easily make this type of mistakes. When students come to professor to discuss about their research topics, they are often frustrated because they feel that professors do not listen his opinions. But in many cases, professors listen to their students but they do not accept arguments when students simple insist things without providing facts. Smart way of talking is of course to distinguish hypothesis from facts. if he fails to convince professor, he has to go back and prepare materials based on observations. If he likes to propose something that is not know, of course this is then big hypothesis. It can be wrong or right. In this case, one has to gamble on the subject. Usually professors love this kind of gamble. No gut no reward. If you feel that you are rejected by the professors often, that means your approach of discussion is not wise.

There are of course some stubborn students with assertion. I in fact like them. I always insist that scientists should be stubborn at some point. To be insistive, he needs logic and to do that he has to study hard. Nevertheless, the beginners usually cannot distinguish this and there is no progress in the discussion. Previously when I was a young professor, I asked my ex advisor when I allow student to graduate for Ph. D. He said it is the time when student start discussing with you. I think he is right. Of course this discussion is again based on fact and he should be logical to lead the discussion. Discussion with too many hypothesis is jargons. You image still a lot of things by looking at the starts in the sky just like when you were kid. Yes because you still do not know much about stars.

What would you do with this type of student? As a professor this is a big concern in fact. This type of student goes to mountain if you let him drive the boat. As long as you insist, there is no progress. After broadcasting 'Insight' lecture, I got one strange long letter with full of chinese characters on special old type paper 'Hanzi'. He insisted that he found new energy resources that may save life in earth without generating hazardous materials. He sent the letter to president, ministry of science, professors and yet none listened to him and so he could not save the world because of this. Perhaps this gentleman found something great to save the world. Who knows. I open this possibility. But apparently he insists based on hypothesis, not based on fact. Those students who are insistive can go to wrong path to mountain. He can detour the path. Perhaps he is still lucky if he can reach the goal. I like to believe this type of student's effort. If they really try hard, they may reach the goal. Perhaps they hate other to interfere his way of thinking. He will never concede his insertion. It is difficult to judge.... But one constraint is that he has to graduate in a given period less than at best 10 years. Human being cannot live long more than 100 years... One has to extend his efficiency to the best of his. This is our physical constraint which can be never changed. One boundary condition... Tough to be a professor...