Question

Why are Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur fighting over credit of the experiment?

Excerpt:

I got up the nerve today to ask Miss Kinnian to have dinner with
me tomorrow night to celebrate my bonus.
At first she wasn't sure it was right, but I asked Dr. Strauss and he said
it was okay. Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur don't seem to be getting along so well.
They're arguing all the time. This evening when I came in to ask Dr. Strauss
about having dinner with Miss Kinnian, I heard them shouting. Dr. Nemur
was saying that it was his experiment and his research, and Dr. Strauss was
shouting back that he contributed just as much, because he found me through

Miss Kinnian and he performed the operation. Dr. Strauss said that some-
day thousands of neurosurgeons might be using his technique all over the

world.
Dr. Nemur wanted to publish the results of the experiment at the end of
this month. Dr. Strauss wanted to wait a while longer to be sure. Dr. Strauss

said that Dr. Nemur was more interested in the Chair of Psychology at Prince-
ton than he was in the experiment. Dr. Nemur said that Dr. Strauss was

nothing but an opportunist who was trying to ride to glory on his coattails.
When I left afterwards, I found myself trembling. I don't know why for
sure, but it was as if I'd seen both men clearly for the first time. I remember
hearing Burt say that Dr. Nemur had a shrew of a wife who was pushing him
all the time to get things published so that he could become famous. Burt said
that the dream of her life was to have a big-shot husband.
Was Dr. Strauss really trying to ride on his coattails?

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

In the given excerpt, Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur are fighting over credit for the experiment because of several reasons:

1. Contribution to the experiment: Dr. Nemur claims that it is his experiment and his research. He believes that he should receive the majority of the credit because he conceived the experiment and conducted the research.

2. Discovery of Charlie: Dr. Strauss argues that he contributed just as much to the experiment because he found Charlie through Miss Kinnian. He believes that his role in identifying and selecting Charlie as the subject of the experiment is significant and should be recognized.

3. Performance of the operation: Dr. Strauss also mentions that he performed the operation on Charlie. This suggests that he had a hands-on role in implementing the experiment, which he believes entitles him to a share of the credit.

4. Timing of publishing the results: Dr. Nemur wants to publish the results of the experiment at the end of the month, indicating his desire for recognition and academic advancement. On the other hand, Dr. Strauss wants to wait longer to ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of the research findings before publication.

5. Personal motivations and ambitions: The excerpt suggests that Dr. Nemur's wife may be pressuring him to publish the results quickly to enhance his reputation and career prospects. This implies that personal ambitions and external pressures might be influencing Dr. Nemur's eagerness to take credit for the experiment.

In conclusion, the conflict between Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur over credit for the experiment stems from their differing perceptions of their contributions, the role they played in the experiment, the timing of publication, and potentially personal ambitions and pressures.