[nialllarkin]

The author impresses upon us that the scientific community is competitive. And that collaboration is rare. These are contradictory ideas.

In competitive environments, collaboration is far from unusual.

In competive environments, it is usual for collaboration to break out between competing individuals. This is especially true in the most cut-throat competitive environments.

In a truly competitive environment, survival depends on the individual gaining a competitive edge. The most effective way for the individual to capture a gain is by joining forces with competitors for mutual gain.

In a truly competitive environment its: collaborate or perish.

In conclusion, the scientific community is not nearly as competitive as the author is inclined to believe.