Destructive Competition Exposed in Cantor's DilemmaCompetition is often useful as a means of motivation. However, in the scientific world, competition can cause many scientists to forget the main goal of their research. The main goal of scientific research is to develop knowledge that will improve society. When scientists work together to help each other achieve a common goal, science works as it should. However, with so much competition to become the best scientist, make the most money, and eventually win the Nobel Prize, it is difficult for scientists to share ideas. Many scientists are very secretive. Carl Djerassi, a world-renowned scientist, describes this competition in his fictional novel, Cantor's Dilemma. In his novel, he demonstrates the secrecy that competition encourages when two scientists, Cantor and Stafford, carry out an important experiment. Cantor does not want to immediately release all experimental details. He explains: "No, I would like to say a little more. Just a preliminary communication first, without the experimental details, so that no one can jump on the bandwagon right away." Scientists are very concerned about the idea that another scientist can get their hands on their work and claim it as their own. In Cantor's Dilemma, Cantor decides which journal to send his manuscript to based on his prior knowledge of the reviewers. The referees review the experiment and pass it on to other scientists to verify the results. He didn't want an American referee to leak the news. So he sent the manuscript to London, where an American referee would not have the opportunity to see the paper. Many scientists adopt the ideas of others as their own. Surprisingly, this often happens unintentionally. Djerassi describes grant applications in Cantor's Dilemma. When a grant application is sent out, most of the review committee members are competitors of the scientist. Since these are ideas and not completed work, the review committee has the opportunity to steal ideas. Cantor describes that "[review board members] can't help but remember what they've read, and after a while, say a few months or even a few weeks later, they forget where they read it." saw it for the first time and little by little, [they] think it's their own idea. » For this reason, most scientists don't give many details when applying for a grant. Competition can also encourage a scientist to produce fraudulent results..