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Dr.Ghoulem Berrah was a professor of Virology at the University of Yale school of medicine before becoming a diplomat. He had developed a hypothesis on Reverse Transcriptase enzyme, and he had a major breakthrough on selective inhibition of DNA. He could have found many more scientific theories that could have been major breakthroughs and of great use to the world. But he resigned from his job and became a diplomat. In your opinion, was his decision wise? Could he have done more to the world as a scientist than what he did as a diplomat? On the other hand, have his attempts on peace actually been mattered, when we consider the current political situation of the conflicts that he tried to solve in his career?

I think that it is really hard to know if Dr. Berrah could have done more as a scientist, especially when we see that it is related to his passion and his motivation. I think that his attempts at peace mattered, even though he didn't bring world peace, he did his best and he helped to bring new perspectives to various populations.

gabrielletiemi wrote: ↑04 Feb 2021, 14:03 I think that it is really hard to know if Dr. Berrah could have done more as a scientist, especially when we see that it is related to his passion and his motivation. I think that his attempts at peace mattered, even though he didn't bring world peace, he did his best and he helped to bring new perspectives to various populations.

When it comes to world peace, I believe that it is only a fraud. Big and powerful countries use this issue to get into the inside matters of the relatively weak countries. But there is no one to talk when the powerful nations go into wars and kill thousands of innocent people. So, efforts on world peace is useless in my opinion. If this man remained as a scientist, he could have done more prevailing service than what he did

I think that the matter of accomplishment is a subjective one. If Dr. Berrah felt like his calling was diplomacy instead of the scientific world, that maybe his opinion about being successful matters more than ours. Nevertheless, it is hard to decide "the success" of diplomacy because it is a long term goal, not easily quantifiable. So I think it is not for us to draw a conclusion in this matter. Also, it is impossible to do so.

raluca_mihaila wrote: ↑08 Feb 2021, 15:56 I think that the matter of accomplishment is a subjective one. If Dr. Berrah felt like his calling was diplomacy instead of the scientific world, that maybe his opinion about being successful matters more than ours. Nevertheless, it is hard to decide "the success" of diplomacy because it is a long term goal, not easily quantifiable. So I think it is not for us to draw a conclusion in this matter. Also, it is impossible to do so.

Maybe you are correct. And also we may never know what Dr. Berrah would have actually preferred. In my opinion, diplomacy is something fraudulent than being a long shot. None of the powerful countries care about world peace. They use diplomacy to intervene the business of other countries and get benefited in the process. Scientific revrevelations too will do similar things. But ultimately the benefits will be open for a majority in contrast to what diplomacy will gain. So I think it could have been better if he remained as a scientist.

What we do in our lifetime sets the path for the next generation. I believe that what he did as a diplomat made a difference even if he did not complete his mission for peace.

We will never know what he would have done if he stayed in his profession as scientist, but would it have been as fulfilling to him as when he become a diplomate?

Krienkie wrote: ↑09 Feb 2021, 13:09 What we do in our lifetime sets the path for the next generation. I believe that what he did as a diplomat made a difference even if he did not complete his mission for peace.

We will never know what he would have done if he stayed in his profession as scientist, but would it have been as fulfilling to him as when he become a diplomate?

He thought that diplomacy was his course rather than being scientist. That is why he left the field of science ad became a diplomat. I am pretty sure that it gave him joy to be involved in world peace.

Yet, I have raised this question to see from the perspective of the spectators. We see that he has done marvellous job in his field of peace making. But it is questionable whether his goals were fulfilled. The countries that he tried to unite still had their own problems. Though he could manage to bring down the parties for negotiations, they did not last long. That is why I see that his diplomatic career was a waste of time and he could have done a greater service if he remained as a scientist.

gabrielletiemi wrote: ↑04 Feb 2021, 14:03 I think that it is really hard to know if Dr. Berrah could have done more as a scientist, especially when we see that it is related to his passion and his motivation. I think that his attempts at peace mattered, even though he didn't bring world peace, he did his best and he helped to bring new perspectives to various populations.

I agree.
Perhaps if Dr Berrah had continued on as a scientist, something terrible might have happened to him or maybe he might have made a discovery that would have been corrupted and used for evil as humans are wont to do.
We won't really know.
What matters is that he tried his best, followed his passion and attempted to bring about peace.

zainherb wrote: ↑10 Feb 2021, 06:41

gabrielletiemi wrote: ↑04 Feb 2021, 14:03 I think that it is really hard to know if Dr. Berrah could have done more as a scientist, especially when we see that it is related to his passion and his motivation. I think that his attempts at peace mattered, even though he didn't bring world peace, he did his best and he helped to bring new perspectives to various populations.

I agree.
Perhaps if Dr Berrah had continued on as a scientist, something terrible might have happened to him or maybe he might have made a discovery that would have been corrupted and used for evil as humans are wont to do.
We won't really know.
What matters is that he tried his best, followed his passion and attempted to bring about peace.

I agree. Science can be used for good as well as bad. But given the nature of Dr. Berrah's upbringing and his religious beliefs, it is quite hard to think that he will use his scientific abilities to create something evil. What he found in his short career were very important for the betterment of the field of science. So if he stayed there, I think he could have done many more great service than whathe could do in his diplomatic career. Yet, I don't say that he didn't tried. He did his maximum and only the results are not enough as well as not prevailing

I think both vocations are relevant. However, a professor who resigns from research and academics is obviously interested in politics. We need people who have his kind of innovative mind to be in such positions, so I can't say he would have done the world better good if he remained in his old job.

I think this is not for us to decide. Only Dr Berrah can say. Looking from outside you may think a person would have made more wave in a particular field but their deepest passion may be for another.

I think, when comes to this topic, I too think alike you. When I look at the scientific breakthroughs that he found in his short career in the field of science, I can't imagine what else he could have found or invented that could have made the world much better place. It is true that based on his projects many other developments have happened later. But such a genius mind should not have been wasted on a subject like diplomacy which is, according to my opinion, only a way for the powerful countries to control the world

I think accomplishment is a personal thing. To some others, his attempt on achieving world peace may have great impact on them thereby helping them find peace, but I feel personally that he could have done more as a scientist.

Saint Bruno wrote: ↑14 Feb 2021, 16:19 I think both vocations are relevant. However, a professor who resigns from research and academics is obviously interested in politics. We need people who have his kind of innovative mind to be in such positions, so I can't say he would have done the world better good if he remained in his old job.

It is true that those who are in politics should have a good intelligence as well as an innovative mind, though we don't see those qualities from those who are currently in politics. But what I see is, for various reasons, many people get into politics. So there is no vacuum in the field of politics for its various positions. But in the field of science, it doesn't matter how many are involved in the research field since every brain matters their. So I believe that Dr. Berrah should have remained in the field of science and then he could have done a better service to the world

Vine001 wrote: ↑14 Feb 2021, 18:16 I think this is not for us to decide. Only Dr Berrah can say. Looking from outside you may think a person would have made more wave in a particular field but their deepest passion may be for another.

Yes, I agree. We can't discuss on in which field he had his passion, since it is subjective. And to do a better service, it is true that you have to be in the field that you love. But, having said that, still we can ponder in the objective fact that being in which field he could have done more. I still think that science is more sure than diplomacy, since diplomatic missions involve people and people are unreliable