Secrecy
In the book
Fooling Houdini,
author an amateur magician Alex Stone reveals
the secrets behind some magic tricks
and in the process angers many magicians.
While discussing this book in a Scientific American blog,
Literally-Psyched,
Maria Konnikova points out studies that argue against secrecy,
including one that claims knowing the surprise twist of a book or movie
can enhance (not detract from) your enjoyment
by allowing you to concentrate on how it unfolds.
Likewise seeing how a concert violinist produces the
sound they make, increases my appreciation of the music I hear.
People usually do not understand how much skill is required
to perform most illusions and think they could do it
if they just knew the "trick".
For the few that I know, it only enhances my appreciation
of the performance.
She also argues that
secrecy inhibits innovation and creativity
in magic and many other artistic and scientific endeavors and I agree.
Openness seems to be necessary for progress to occur in both the arts
and sciences.
This reminds me of what the physicist Edward Teller said on the subject
(I think mainly in relationship to politics):
Secrecy, once accepted, becomes an addiction.
Although he was a staunch anti-communist he thought that
keeping some scientific knowledge secret hurt us more than them.
In the interview
Questions of secrecy
he tells this story:
One of the few physicists who were there was a very well known
man, Tolman, and we came under serious attack: Did we give away
too much? One of the points was, did not- did we not have to-
did we have to tell on what element we were working? Wouldn't
it be sufficient if we would say that Z=92? Well it did not take
very long for me to explain that if I said the one thing I have
said the other thing. But the amusing point about all of this
was that in our being questioned a lot had been disclosed about
the reactors that worked in Hanford and after the meeting when
I took Maria to the railroad station she said- Well I really
learned a great deal, very interesting what was said about
reactors. Secrecy on occasion seemed to work against itself.