Arguing Science: A Dialogue on the Future of Science and Spirit

by Rupert Sheldrake

science. In the 19th century, many of the most creative scientists were not professionals. For example, Charles Darwin was an amateur naturalist living on a private income, with no academic post or government grant. He was much freer as a result. Now, the vast majority of scientists rely on salaries and are far more

aware of peer-group pressure. In fact, the peer-review system for jobs, grant applications, and publication of papers in journals means that peer pressure dominates their lives. In the nineteenth century, there were fewer constraints on creative and independent thinking.