Letters to a Young Scientist

Edward O. Wilson had a long career in the sciences. Do some more research on his research, his published works, and his life. How has what you learned changed or deepened your perspective on Letters to a Young Scientist? How, and to what extent, is Wilson’s advice reflective of his own experiences?

Wilson points out that his interest in entomology never wavered throughout his life, positioning this unchanging attitude as important for young scientists. What are the benefits and drawbacks of this approach? What benefits might a scientist gain from having a broader range of interests, or a passion discovered later in life instead?

This text is inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet (1929). Read Rilke’s work and then compare and contrast it with Wilson’s book. In what ways is the advice given in the two works different or similar?