Hi Frank.

Neurological research supports this.

Nobel Laureat Daniel Kahneman distinguishes between "system 1" thinking and "system 2" thinking. System 2 thinking requires all of your available working memory. When you are in the presence of others, with "things going on" nearby, some of your working memory is dedicated to monitoring those things, at a simmering level. That is the neurological reason why you cannot reach your deepest thought with others nearby.

That is not to say that collaboration is not helpful. It most definitely is. All scientists collaborate. But they do it on their terms. If you look at some of the most groundbreaking research papers they tend to include authors who are in different institutions: their collaboration is remote.

Before the Internet, scientists collaborated through writing letters.

Newton needed to isolate himself for a year to think deeply, during which he wrote Principae. There are similar stories throughout science.

But all those people collaborate at time - when they need it - rather than having it forced on them by imposed proximity.

Very best,

Cliff