Basic research - opinions.

Maz · Post by **Maz** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 21:30

Hi dee Ho!

Often, just too often when someone asks me about my work, and after I explain it a bit, people do ask what are the benefits of it... So, dear comrades and fellow forum wanderers, what are your views on basic research?

Definition (By fadedmind):
Basic research is research that tries just to explain some phenomena, there is no applications (currently) available from the results.

Okay, I'll take my research as an example. We are studying cosmic rays. No one will probably get any money out of the results, the only purpose is to add our knowledge about origin/composition of cosmic rays... Still this research is quite expencive. (Or it depends on what do you think is expencive, I bet most of the big and medium size research projects are even more expencive).

So what are your views, is it reasonable to spend, lets say 300 000 euros / year (that was just a guess, and it may be totally wrong guess...) for research like ours is?

Prideth · Post by **Prideth** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 4:29

I think it is a sign of the times that knowledge is now judged by how much it costs and how much money it can expect to earn, rather than just be seeking knowledge for the sake of finding answers to questions and puzzles.

I wonder where we'd be if scholars and scientists in centuries past were only concerned with money. If Gallileo had decided his new fangled sky viewer (telescope) was too expensive to make in relation to what he could expect to earn from it, or if Newton figured it was a waste of money to try and find out why that apple hit him on the head.

I think it is very resonable to spend money on knowledge, even if it is just for the sake of adding to existing knowledge. Who knows what your cosmic ray research could lead to in the future.

Perhaps all of us need to understand that while the over-riding urge pushed on most of us these days is a thirst for money, that some people manage to keep a thirst for knowledge as well, and that is just as important, maybe even more.

Post by **Chroelle** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 13:40

I agree. Sadly I have nothing more to add...

Ancsur2002 · Post by **Ancsur2002** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 14:23

"you occupy the place of the sun,
money, everything revolves around you" (translated from a hungarian song)
Now we have a money-centered worldview instead of the sun-centered

resulting in the way of thinking that if I dont get money from it, I don't do it.
This makes researches like this getting no support, women not getting flower from their boyfriends (florists are expensive too) etc... this whole thing needs change, or we'll get nowhere

Post by **Chroelle** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 14:37

resulting in the way of thinking that if I dont get money from it, I don't do it.

Thank goodness for Crew willing to work for nothing except appreciation

As with everything else...The change always starts with you!
If we wanted to live in a world that didn't evolve around money, then we needed to change quite a lot. Nothing should cost anythig anymore. Rather (true) communist thought. Everybody helps out, and everybody gets access to everything.
"Wir mussen ein gesellsschaft shaffen in den allem alles mit allem teilen"
Or something.
Translation from German:
We must make a society in which everybody shares everything with everybody.

Prideth · Post by **Prideth** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 3:06

"From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs" is a saying I've heard before. As that is a very communist way of thinking, it is pretty much screamed down in this capitalist, money driven day and age.

I think it's sad that things like the research mentioned in the start post are questioned because of cost. Not everything needs to revolve around bits of coloured paper.

Ancsur2002 · Post by **Ancsur2002** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 15:44

Not everything needs to revolve around bits of coloured paper.... I like that

mistergreen77 · Post by **mistergreen77** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:57

Money is not the problem - greed is the problem. To each according to his contribution should be the premise of capitalism - but it is a problem that individuals are able to accumulate enough wealth to satisfy hundreds or thousands of people - way beyond their actual contribution. If you only give to each according to his need, you cannot expect from each as much as he is able.

Back to the original question - Yes. It is worth spending money on basic research. Otherwise, we would not have developed nuclear power and the atom bomb!

"Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal." Albert Einstein