This is an interesting question. To conduct a research, you need good imagination, persistence, and patience.

This week is the study week for my students; and besides my writing, I tidy up the cubicle. And I get a literal pile of junk; useful at one point in time, but has to be disposed of, to make way for more 'junk' next semester.

This is an interesting question. To conduct a research, you need good imagination, persistence, and patience.

It is probably a similar situation with the other known truth, "the road to success passes from a sequences of failures", so, dear Miranda, don't worry about the 'pile of junk', it is part of the research game procedure!

Happy Easter to the Christians!

Thank you friends. Sometimes, I feel really exhausted, there's such a lot to do each day. I'm sure many of us are in a similar condition. So we need all the inspiration :)

Yes, Prof Kamal. So we are 'normal' in producing the junk. Our college austerity drive means that for the past 3 years, each one of us gets 1 ream of paper a semester. So I just go and buy another 2 reams each semester :)

Dear Miranda, I agree with Kamal, that vision and imagination are basics while the research as well as with second part of the comment.

Thanks Beata. Yes, vision and imagination are needed ingredients. Our interaction does help, I find, although I don't have much time and leave QandA for long hours.

Imagination AND hard work are needed.

I agree with Saeed. For me, Vision, Hardwork and Positive Attitude!

Very interesting, agree to it. like to add prove a good one into junk then propose a new solution for that :-)

Dear friends, thanks. I am very impressed:

'I mean scanning electron microscopes, computer controlled lathes, fume hoods, big scary lasers, centrifuges, cryo-freezers, CAT scans, mass spectrometers, water jet cutters… really cool junk. '

Miranda, with great respect, even if I totally agree with you,

I think there is an even better quote of Edison for this scenario:

Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.

Thomas A. Edison

And, I permit myself to add, in these times of an incredible technology and exchange of information we need even more inspiration and more perspitation.

Thanks @ Fermin. I do have a thread on that quote:

https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_were_your_unforgettable_moments_of_inspiration_and_genius_that_cropped_up_in_your_life_as_a_researcher_and_as_a_scientist

Coming back to "o invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk" I would add a lot of effort, if not before, during and after. The distance between the good imagination (withnd knowledge) until a real "working" result needs perseverance, too, lot's of it and, of course, many, many effort.

Pile of junk - of course and at the present under the pressure of publishing, we are producing piles and piles of junk :-)

Yes, Maria. Interesting comment :)

Dear friends, do you think it would have been a bigger pile of junk, in those good old days when we all don't have softcopies for us to edit and re-edit, before printing a reasonably mature piece of work? And that is only 'paper junk'...

Not as today

Dear Miranda

It is said that writing is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration, but the truth is that without the second, the first becomes even more difficult. To do research is necessary to improve the talent and art of writing and inspiration that can be obtained with the following attitudes: Exit routine; people watching; read, read, read and read; watch movies; do physical exercises, listening to music; sightseeing and access the internet

Thanks Nelson and friends. I agree that the inspiration is really important. Interacting on Q and A gives some inspiration, as long as we don't get too exhausted, it's fine.

Depending of how behave in confrontation with the variebles that you thing belongs to you.

Edison´s "pile of junk" may be a mere metaphor for "failed attempts." Without failed attempts, there is no such thing as perfection. Hehehe, downvote THAT answer if you dare, whoever you are.

My dear Miranda, I do not understand these downvotes! No explanation at all!

Concerning inspiration, mentioning of Edison, ..., take a look into attached TESLA's quotes! Do not miss the last one!

I am going to upvote all the contributions now! :)

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Nikola_Tesla/

I agree with the "failed attempts" of Nelson. Thanks Ljubomir for the link.

"If Edison had a needle to find in a haystack, he would proceed at once with the diligence of the bee to examine straw after straw until he found the object of his search... I was a sorry witness of such doings, knowing that a little theory and calculation would have saved him ninety per cent of his labor."

Interesting. This is the reaction of some one who already had both the pile and inspiration but lacked one thing. Do you know what is the missing element? The element that enabled Edison to succeed although, in my opinion, he had less "pile of junk and inspiration" compared to Tesla: LUCK. In my opinion, the most important factor in achieving a MAJOR invention, discovery or success is LUCK. No matter how scientists like Edison believe that their success is due to their ingenuity, pile of junk and inspiration; without the LUCK element, these genius scientists would be similar to the thousand other scientists around the world who have access to more pile than they had and are more inspired than Edison was.

Thank you friends for your posts. Today my internet access is slow, but never mind.

Yes, LUCK is also important!

@Ljubomir, I get into the link when I finish my work today, about 7 pm (or 1 pm your time :))

Looking more widely and shortly (and not just focused on Edison saying) it is essential, knowledge, luck, persistence, humility - lots of humbleness - rigor, critical thinking and effort - also, to know how to loose and start again (this is related with persistence, humility, rigor, critical thinking and kowledge...:-)).

Yes, ingenuity could help! This requirement is associated with the childrens' discover process (and their knowledge construction) with which every day, at an incredible rate, they get thousands of new knowledge at the stage of a huge development in their first growing years. This requires being constantly open with ingenuity, without prejudgment, with open eyes to see the world around!

BUT this needs also to be followed by critical thinking!!!!

Dear All, Lijo Francis, Patrick Low and others that you know are not able any longer to log in their RG account from yesterday. RG suspended their accounts without any reason. I don't know why, but I find this an outstanding abuse. Please help them and inform all other participants as this is a signal that things are not going in the right way in RG before it happens to you!

Regards

Gianni

Http://www.linkedin.com/pub/patrick-k-c-low/23/64/802

I think that Edison's quote was really specific to the act of making a electro- mechanical devices. It is really helpful to my inventing process to literally have a pile of junk in the workshop of my lab. i.e. the pile contains metal bits, plywood, 2x4's, zip ties, duct tape, bearings, motors, etc.. This allows me to physically brainstorm and make a prototype. It is much better than trying to draw a model and then go to Home Depot or McMaster Carr and order a bunch of expensive components.

:-)

A good source. But inspiration should go with a lot of perspiration, HARD WORK. Edison quotes alone will not help you.

Thanks for your views. @Prof G and Raoof, Lijo and Patrick told us the reasons RG gave, in warning them.

@Rodger Kram and Radhakrishnan, thanks. Because of people like YOU, Bill Gates etc, America is the leader in scientific innovation.

@RK, I will follow you on RG, if you don't mind. Thanks.

Thanks. You are welcome to follow me. As the adage goes "genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety nine per cent perspiration.

Inspiration is our inner source always comes from within under the cover of our inner Garment .It very has its entrance with our calm & Quiet Mind,& very often it remains an Blessing for us .,as it bring in our mind a New & Novel ideas which idea which may come out a turning point of our Life.

Imagination entry has no roots it enters on any side without any base ,for our imagination we must have control of our mind .,otherwise it may divert in any direction of our mind ,ending with ''TO BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIR''.

Thanks for your views, Rohit Parikh et al :)

These days I'm busy reading and writing, so my posts are short.

In pragmatic philosophy says that "what works is true" If persistent "pile of junk" exist, clearly such attitude need clarification. For research base on science quest into Truth towards living a meaningful career. Please consider such personal questions? 1. How do I relate to Edison's life and career into technical perspective? 2. What is my general emotion regarding Edison's motive, purpose, and gift as a career significant in self-becoming personal phenomenological examination of career obstacle. 3. Does Edison's life solve my personal need for inspirational emulate model? Meaning does he have all the qualities in life I need? 4. In total contextual historical personalities encounter by Edison during his career, Do I factor them in my inspirational life? Back to question number 3. Contextual Edison's personal encountered person, Do I reorient my reconsideration as reflection towards perspective career? Finally, We live in the past, present, and future life, then what happen in technical obstacle in research?

@Andrew and friends, thanks. Sometimes the pile of junk is cool junk :)

And sometimes to get a near perfect result in my writing, I have paper junk.

@Andrew, what are your answers to your own questions?

Responding to Prof Gianni, Raoof, et al:

Friends, sometimes Blessings come in disguise. Now Lijo has more time to work on his research without RG cares or commitments. Lijo wrote this 5 hours ago to us all:

'Just now I have received the Cyprus Visa in my Passport.

Now I am going to prepare the PPT slides to present my papers in Cyprus EDS Conference. Since I have two papers to present.

Conference will be from 11-15 May.'

Every time I conceptualize a research topic and start writing the proposal I end up with so many draft proposals before I get to the final draft. The many drafts I get to write are the essential "junks" that get me to the final draft. I like my junk!

Yes, Mungai, I feel the same. Earlier Prof Kamal said the same:

'Research needs a lot of imagination, and the researcher should have a vision.

Usually my paper become mature and ready for sending for publication consideration after writing and revising many manuscripts versions until I reached the final copy, so as you mentioned there will be a pile of junk.'

My dear friends... I think that Edison and most of us out there missed the most important factor: Peace of Mind! Yes that peace of mind that results from the environment and surroundings where you live and act.

Thanks @Ale Hejase for your view. Are you related to Prof Hussin? :)

I love this question. I address this by a quote I came up with.. "Go against the norm, think the unthinkable, solve the unsolvable. Become the new paradigm" I read as much as I can about a topic of interest, then have "thought experiments" (as Einstein would say) and try to visualize something extraordinary. In my opinion, whether its scientific writing or creative, they are both art. Generating interest and engaging your audience is key. Be concise and to the point but bring your own voice and thoughts about prior research, as well as the findings of your own work..even if they run contrary to your hypotheses. I always like to leave my audience with powerful conclusion/discussion that gives them "food for thought".

Thanks Kenny and Ahed. I like both Edison and Tesla. Besides these scientists, I admire many musicians and artists.

Sent from mobile.

You are right, dear Miranda,

I try to bulldoze my "Stables of King Augeias" and to find "Ariadne's thread", so that in the long run we are able to finish our article.

Miranda, I miss Lijo and Patrick.

Yes, dear Irina, I have put up a post on Ljubomir Jacic's complaint thread that Lijo and Patrick be reinstated on RG. Get into that thread, ok? Ask Prof Ljubomir to send to you. I have no computer now.

Sent from mobile.

Yes Prof Kamal and friends, at times the inspiration takes its time to come. During those times, I just do normal duties, and wait till certain ideas FLOW in. This is making a good use of Q and A, to put the mind in the right frame for inspirations!

Dear Miranda, the account of Prof. Dr Kamal Eddin Bani-Hani is suspended for unknown reasons! Let us hope it is mistake!

It is an important image that Edison brings up. We do a lot around our home with recycling old materials.

People in poverty also do a lot more recycling of stuff in creative ways if they have time and a can-do attitude.

However, an image of explosions and bombs come to my mind as I think of wealthier societies involved in arms creation, wars , and waste. They are very creative in making things go boom and technowizardry while at the same time not being able to make stuff for lasting peace.

I imagine that the wealthier one gets and the more one is on auto-pilot, the more likely one is not likely to (1) think creatively nor (2) use resources properly--even if the resources are broken stuff or junk.

Dear Prof Ljubomir, I will miss Prof Kamal. I used to get into his pages and read his writings on medicine, medic advances. And, I learn about econs from Bassam's interesting questions.

@Kevin, thanks. I like your post. Very original. I have a lot of junk because I sew my clothes. Handy junk for fancy dress fun for kids. Yes, I think that being from a poor family contributes to using resources wisely and creatively.

As I know that imagination has no limit. In research their no where junk. As we know that a collarge is made up of junks only but with the help of good imagination these junks make a art. In the same way in research all junk results if kept together and arranged properly they may provide a new information in the field of science. Just need little more imagination.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18034454

As far as artificial intelligence is concerned the first exceptional results so far were attained through brute force. This was true for Douglas Lenat Eurisko Space War program, who fought over ten thousands battles against himself to become twice world champion of the Traveler tournament.

When Lenat got his first success with Eurisko he wrote : "For the first five years, nothing good came out of it... "

If there exist a discrepancy between research and discovery, the twisting of reality through trial and errors, in the chess game, led to the right balance of such parameters as center control, pawn structure, pieces mobility, with metrics for each of them. Then it was discovered that it wouldn't work as expected and needed three different programs : Opening, Middle game and final.

Without extensive trials and errors, nothing as serependitous would have come out of it.

Now dont forget that AI is only good human software.

Greetings from France,

Jacques De Schryver

@Sudeep and Jacques, very positive and interesting. Thanks.

Thanks, Douglas Lenat first wrote Automated Mathematician; of which Eurisko was a successor. However some pairs criticized AM, saying that some of the discoveries were embedded, at least in an abstract form, inside the original coding.

The point is that discovery can't sprout from scratch.

Among the best discoverers was hungarian Nicola Tesla, one of the very few to have a nearly total mental representation.

Those who have the gift of eidetic memory lessen of course the trials and errors process. However statistics show that memory and creativity maybe correlated but not linked by causality.

Greetings from France,

Jacques De Schryver

@Miranda, the account of Dr Kamal Eddin Bani-Hani is again active and operational! :) It was suspended by mistake!

@Prof Ljubomir, thanks. I have already clicked on the green button 'Follow', to follow Prof K, but nothing moved. I think we are already put as followers, but we must give the RG computers time. Even to update citations, we must give the computers time :)

Happy Prof K Is back :))

Prof Kamal, friends (and Pardis), I just clicked again to follow Prof Kamal, and it moved :) The system is a bit faulty, how can the boxes be there to upvote our own post? I'm not doing unethical things!

Dear all, research on any topic needs lot of efforts right from selection of topic to wring and publishing it. Yes it is very true that as I proceed in writing, many rough copies are seen at the end. But it also refines our work. I think the more we work, the more ideas appears.

Thanks Prof Kamal, Regina and Kusum. Despite a lot of planning, I do have some junk. But this paper junk is not as much as the paper required to print the documents in my 5 files that are required for academic auditing! So that is a consolation.

Inspiration, perspiration, courage to face up difficults in the day today work, time to talk with students and colleagues, read new references. Find well trained Director and Counsellor. Umberto Ecco says that "the student must be in love" with the doctoral thesis problem

I am following the discussions here... I think digging about roots is not like trimming trees. Doing good research needs a solid ground that comes through piles of sand grains.... our research efforts collectively, as we hope, help in building this ground.

Thanks Regina, Faisal and Prof Kamal. I'm writing a paper now. It's going very slowly. That's the price I must pay, so that I won't get so much junk!

In my social anthropology research based on fieldwork in Paschim(West) Medinipur district, West Bengal India, every bit of information regarding land grab(my area of research) and I am doing this research for the last 18 years became useful.The data which I initially thought as piles of junk later proved to be extremely valuable and I am publishing on the various dimensions of the governmental land grab, which is known as land acquisition in the official legal jargon.It seemed that my experience echoes the Nobel Laureate poet Rabindranath Thakur's famous line.Freely translated from Bengali it runs: 'All the wealth of life is never wasted/ Even if they are treated as dust on the street.'.

Article Peasant Resistance in West Bengal a Decade before Singur and Nandigram

Hello, Miranda -

If we think of it, basically what Edison was saying is that we need imagination and resources to invent - for even "junk" is a resource, literally and figuratively. As we all know, and as you all have stated, from a practical point of view it is not possible to produce some thing without intrinsic resources such as imagination, creativity, determination, etc. and external resources such as materials, perhaps support from others (financial or otherwise). Perhaps to Edison everything that was not imagination was "junk" - a bother to him since great effort to secure resources had to be expended at the expense of creative and imaginative time...

For myself, I face the same problem as you, Miranda; however, I save my junk and later find treasures within their piles...

@Abhijit and Ruth, thanks for adding your wisdom to this Q. I certainly agree, but at times I am slow to respond or upvote.

My job is to teach, and this coming semester I will have many students as usual to serve. I do research from my own pocket money and pockets of free time.

I came across something worth sharing:

'Don’t ever be afraid of creating junk. The most beautiful masterpieces, in art and in life, begin as what appears as junk.

Your mistakes and rejections can be masterpieces for someone else. When you make a mistake, or are rejected, learn from that experience to help someone else. Most of the time, when you make a mistake, or try to help someone else from being turned down, you find new inspiration and ideas.'

The most motivating inspiration for research is intending to solve a real and actual problem. Blind diving into piles of ideas based on a trial and error approach will result to an unsystematic divergent effort with the hope to find a solution by chance. A systematic research approach, first of all, calls for a clear definition of the problem to be solved by the result of research. Good definition of the problem is fifty percent of the solution. This way researcher know what they are looking for and converge their attempts towards generating relevant ideas and downsizing the so called pile of junks. Precise definition of the problem gives a measure to judge the ideas and start with those that are most likely to reach a proper answer. However, I don't believe that unsuccessful attempts create junks. Many useful inventions and discoveries are results of such efforts that did not solve the defined problem but sparked an idea for some other useful applications.

My dear friends, how about this inspiration, TESLA again!

http://www.pinterest.com/HelmerJewelry/science-quotes/

@Profs Hassanali, Kamal and Ljubomir, thanks.

:)) I remember what Tesla said about Edison. But they are both great to me. Perhaps Tesla is both theoretical and practical, whereas Edison is doing applied research most of the time :))

From my field of biological sciences, I can think of Louis Pasteur, who is like TESLA.

Yes Monica and friends, thanks. I like this: 'to be creative you need to have a certain degree of dissatisfaction with the status quo that will push you to go far and beyond'. And today I have another question on creativity and productivity.

https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_are_the_ways_in_which_we_can_be_more_creative_and_productive

I'm sure now that I reflect on it that (as Ruth noted above) a pile of junk is not applicable to writing as a metaphor. In Science and technology a pile of junk implies materials used to create something new and wonderful by creative power or genius. My wife, for example, uses old-used-recycled wood to create new products: tables and playhouses for example.

The word for junk in literary field, in contrast, has a negative appeal in terms of using the words creatively or creativity. Taking material that we have written, then criticized, then abused and finally reusing parts of it is known more often as adaption and appropriation--or other such terms. We might even use the word recycle in terms of rejuvenating or revising our writing.

However, I am not junk and neither is the writing I have created or miscreated.

Thanks Kevin et al., you are very positive. I have just sent in 2 soft copy papers to 2 journals. The amount of 'junk' was 26 pieces of A4 paper. So I have learned to use minimal paper!

Researching one usually finds a large volume of data that must be methodologically discern what serves the purposes of research, continuing, as clearly as possible, to test the hypothesis, and leaving aside the rest, as pile of junk. But my experience tells me that pile of junk is useful when the focus goes to prove the hypothesis and opens to other areas of research for which many of those data can provide new insights. It's like the kaleidoscopes: a jumble of the same data can you offer a new world of ideas.

Thanks Roberto. I like:

'But my experience tells me that pile of junk is useful when the focus goes to prove the hypothesis and opens to other areas of research for which many of those data can provide new insights. It's like the kaleidoscopes: a jumble of the same data can you offer a new world of ideas.'

Friends, we are all very positive about our 'junk'. Thanks, we don't have to feel bad about our junk.

I believe you need food, first of all. Which of course, may be a problem nowadays, especially when universities (the biggest research "providers") are seen as market "providers", etc.

I kind prefer Einstein's: "If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called RESEARCH".

It keeps us humble.

Agree with Gloriam. (Hungriness is also a good teacher of humility)

You need intellectual freedom, and if u r a student,u need a prof who gives it to you and most of all , you need a publishing space that tolerates criticism -- what are teh probabilities of all these conditions to be present?

oh and that "DATA" word , that precious thing they are all after, is not data until you say so -- so what makes one say there is plenty of data and method only is the discerning element? Maybe there is no data and method is what delivers the PROOF ?? So would be the "junk" - maybe not objects but our thinking that we need to sive through ?

Dear @Miranda, You and your thread as some of the contributors have earned 14 downvotes recently! Sad! :(

http://www.quotespedia.info/quotes-about-love-coward-is-incapable-of-exhibiting-love-it-is-the-prerogative-of-the-brave-a-5340.html

Dear Prof Ljubomir, it isn't me who does downvoting! If I disagree or can't see the relationship, I keep quiet. And the one who posts usually sends me a message or edits their post.

RG policy is that I upvote all GOOD content, but at times I don't upvote things that are too challenging to me, in my community. And I don't just upvote because of friendship. RG also allows us to use our discretion and judgment. But I do not downvote at all.

Yes, I do know dear @Miranda. I am aware of this person who is in problems, big problems! I think he needs some help! Dear God, please, help him to become a good person!

Yes Prof Ljubomir, on RG we must be more collaborative, NOT competitive! Then we really enjoy ourselves and remove the stress of the hard work each one is subject to, with our teaching and researching. And the students who are so dependent on us...

I'm going to disagree with Edison on this one. Jon Gertner, in his book The Idea Factory compares the approaches of Edison and the Bell Labs. Bell Labs looked for highly qualified and educated people with subject-specific knowledge in a relevant area. Edison's people were less well educated and tended to "tinker" with things.

The Bell Labs people would be focused on a specific problem, bring what was known about it to bear, and look for intersections with knowledge from other areas. It was a more systematic and very successful approach that has been widely copied throughout the 20th century.

Reference:Gertner, J. (2012). The idea factory : Bell Labs and the great age of American innovation. New York: Penguin Press.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Idea-Factory-Innovation-Hardcover/dp/B00BQ1Q5GU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1404752759&sr=8-2&keywords=Idea+Factory+Gertner

Hmm, I am not familiar with the book but look forward to reading it (Gertner, 2012). For purposes of consideration, I believe the beauty of the American system has been some opportunity for the individual tinkerer as well as the organized entity (i.e. the example of Bell Labs as provided by Don Philip). 

@Don and Nola,  could it be partly due to the era that we live in that has greater access to knowledge that there is such differences?  Don said: 'Bell Labs looked for highly qualified and educated people with subject-specific knowledge in a relevant area. Edison's people were less well educated and tended to "tinker" with things.'  Very interesting :)

'

Miranda  would you explain your question or state it another way?  I don't think I am quite making the connection between greater access to knowlege and the differences you mention.  I do know that Edison and Bell were contemporaries.  In the U.S. the 19th century was a rich period of invention and patent acquisition even in the context of very troubling social circumstances that plagued the country.  Until I read the book mentioned previously my first impression is that Edison and Bell were both highly accomplished.  In a way we are comparing apples and oranges.  I don't believe Edison's accomplishments were less noteworthy although Bell might have happened into the corporate model whereas Edison seems to be more of an example of a rugged individualist often seeking financing of his own work and working independently and maintaining central control.  

Thanks Nola, for reminding me that they were contemporaries.  I like the way you express this: 'In a way we are comparing apples and oranges.  I don't believe Edison's accomplishments were less noteworthy although Bell might have happened into the corporate model whereas Edison seems to be more of an example of a rugged individualist often seeking financing of his own work and working independently and maintaining central control.'

Thank you,  Miranda. 

My dear RG ladies @Miranda and @Nola, I have enjoyed your discussion! Keep on doing! :)

@Ljubomir, Thank you and your thoughts regarding comparisons of Edison and Bell?

Dear @Nola, Nikola Tesla was the best!

"We know Edison, a deaf man, invented “everything” whereas Bell, a teacher of the deaf, won a patent for a telephone (whether he deserved the patent is best left to historians)".

http://deafdigest.net/alexander-graham-bell-versus-thomas-edison/