Article by Anjana Ahuja: “…The Genuinely Hard Problems scheme, designed to expose bright young minds each week to the world’s biggest unanswered questions, might usefully chart a course for other institutions to follow. According to Logan McCarty, a Harvard science lecturer and dean of education who is organising the classes with the scheme’s creator, neurobiology professor Jeff Lichtman, the internet and AI have lessened the need for ambitious thinkers to acquire specialised technical skills and internalise vast quantities of information…
Specialist knowledge can now be digitally retrieved in seconds; AI can mine data, construct hypotheses and design experiments. On top of that, a slender scholarly lens can obscure a wider perspective. Today, some of the biggest problems facing humanity, such as climate change and energy scarcity, tend to sprawl across disciplines rather than sit snugly within academic departments.
The primary task of scientists, the Harvard educators believe, is asking the right questions, because AI can answer even difficult queries if they are well-posed; being fearless and willing to fail, with no area of science off-limits; and doing research that is meaningful and has impact, rather than chasing quick wins…(More)”.
