King Lear and Miyazaki

The doct answered the post-day questions of the TRV-hobby. physical. Sciences, professor of the theory of the condensed state of the University of Radbaud (Netherlands), a member of the Dutch Royal Academy of Sciences and the European Academy Mikhail Katsnelson .

-What to do to a scientist in the socio-political situation in the country? Can a scientist develop science in modern Russia and what is needed for this?

-The rules of conduct in difficult socio-political situations were clearly formulated several millennia ago: "Do not follow the majority for evil." I think this is equally applied to scientists, and to confectioners, and to hairdressers.

The scientist, of course, cannot develop science in the country (in any country at any time), he can only engage in his own scientific work. Science in the country can develop only the scientific community as a whole, but in physics it seems to be “in modern Russia” simply does not exist. There are strong people, there are strong groups, but there are no communities. They say that mathematicians are different. You can envy.

- Can the Academy of Sciences in this situation have a significant impact on the development of science?

- I got the impression that the Academy of Sciences is concerned exclusively by the problem of its own survival, and either to cope with it, or not. To demand from them some influence on the development of science in this situation would be simply mercilessly.

- Do you see the need to create new organizations of scientists?

- If there is no scientific community, where do organizations come from, which would really unite scientists, and not another Komsomol members with restless hearts, with varying degrees of sincerity pretending to be scientists?

- Of course, everyone decides to leave or not to leave, but what are the conditions for this decision?

- It depends on who to leave, for what time and why. To graduate school (Ph.D.-Student)-why not? At least, it is not so difficult for a young physicist to find a graduateist place abroad. But then what is an interesting question. The life of a post -house in the West is extremely tough, you need to be prepared for constant moving from the country to the country and even from the continent to the continent. Personal and family life in such conditions is very difficult, and it is “not easy” to be prepared for this. The chances in the end to get a constant position is extremely few.

At the same time, the conditions for scientific work can be found much better than those that are available in Russia (or you can not find). To use these conditions, you need to be prepared very, very intensively to work.

These are the conditions for this decision. And then everyone is determined with priorities.

- You have been working abroad for several decades. Tell me, what is the main difference between Western science and Russian realities? What are we missing?

- I can’t talk about the “Western” science. Everywhere everything is different, everywhere there are pros and cons. The main difference that I feel in my own skin is that here, the more successfully you work, the better you relate to you and the more capabilities you have. In Russia, especially in the post -Soviet period, it was rather the opposite: the better you work, the more you put sticks in the wheels.

The main problem of both Russian science and Russian life as a whole is the principle of "I am the boss - you are a fool, you are a boss - I am a fool." In the West, after all, this is not so clearly demonstrated. Well, (connected thing) there is a reputation that it is customary to take care of.

- Do you have any reason for optimism?

- Partial. Some will be good, but some will not.

- What are the fixtures or non-fiction books, films or music attracted your most attention in 2015? Could you tell us more about them?

- I hardly read new books. Sometimes I re -read the old ones. I read my beloved Graham Green, for example. I also listen to music already many times listened, mainly classics. The films ... The latter, which really made a strong impression, is the “wind strong” Hayao Miyazaki, but it seems that it was not last year, but the before last. Sometimes I am reviewing old films, here is the “King of Lear” Grigory Kozintsev again acted very much (and for some reason his “Hamlet” is not).

- What scientific task are you working on now? What will the main efforts be directed to in 2016?

- Above many, but special enthusiasm is caused by the problem of the formation of patterns - complex structures - in physical systems. I always wanted to at least somehow advance, but it seemed hopeless. And last year there was some hope of advancement. We will try to develop.

-Is there, in your opinion, the threat of clericalization of the scientific and educational sphere in Russia?

- You know, maybe I have not the same circle of communication ... I am talking with colleagues from Russia, how not to talk. What they just do not complain about-on the tyranny of the authorities, on the wild bureaucracy, to low motivation among students and youth in general ... But so that at least someone, at least once, at least for whatever reason said that, you know, the threat of clerical and educational sphere is very concerned about, which I have not heard, I didn’t hear that.

See also:
Page M. Katsnelson:
www.theorphys.science.ru.nl/people/katsneleson/personal.php