Basic research, or research where the primary goal is the advancement of human knowledge and theoretical understanding, has throughout its history been pressed by politicians and the public to justify its existence.
Leading economists, sociologists and scientific historians within the growing field of science policy research came together to present examples which dispel such notions, by illustrating the tangible economic and societal benefits it can bring.
See more here.
See more here.
3 comments:
what a wonderful article, good job blogging it.
It never ceases to amaze me how unscientific scientists can be. To really measure what the return to basic research is must be well nigh impossible since there are externalities everywhere as well as long lags. Of course one can point to specific examples, like number theory, as generating some payoffs but these are just anecdotes.What about all the research that does not pay? What if the money had been spent instead on new roads, for example?
I think it is terribly self-serving & intellectually bogus for academics to claim that there are big social pay-offs to basic research in the absence of any serious research on the subject.
bloody spam (not you kevin!) - i thought id gotten over this
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