Created at 5pm, Jan 8
onurScience
1
The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge
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Abraham Flexner argues that many of the greatest scientific achievements resulted from curiosity-driven research, not the pursuit of practical applications. He cites examples like Marconi's use of Hertz and Maxwell's theoretical work in electromagnetism to develop radio communication and Faraday's research in electricity and magnetism, which was driven by curiosity rather than a quest for utility.The paper emphasizes the importance of supporting curiosity-driven research, which often leads to unforeseen benefits and advancements. Flexner points out that many of the technologies and scientific understandings we take for granted today were built on the foundations laid by researchers driven by curiosity and a desire to understand the world rather than immediate practical applications.Flexner's argument is a call to recognize the value of intellectual inquiry for its own sake, suggesting that a society that supports such inquiry is more likely to experience significant advancements and improvements in various fields, including science, technology, and even the arts.

Ehrlich'sex - perimentswerenowappliedbyafellowstudent,Weigert,tostainingbacteriaandtherebyassistingintheirdifferentiation.Ehrlichhimselfdevelopedthestainingofthebloodfilmwiththedyesonwhichourmodernknowledgeofthemorphol - ogyofthebloodcorpuscles,redandwhite,isbased.NotadaypassesbutthatinthousandsofhospitalstheworldoverEhrlich'stechnicisemployedintheexaminationoftheblood.ThustheapparentlyaimlessfoolinginWaldeyer'sdissectingroominStrasbourghasbecomeamainfactorinthedailypracticeofmedicine.Ishallgiveoneexamplefromindustry,oneselectedatrandom;fortherearescoresbesides.ProfessorBerl,oftheCarnegieInstituteofTechnology(Pitts - burgh)writesasfollows:ThefounderofthemodemrayonindustrywastheFrenchCountChardonnet.Itisknownthatheusedasolutionofnitrocottoninether - alcohol,andthathepressedthisviscoussolutionthroughcapillariesintowaterwhichservedtocoagulatethecellulosenitratefila - ment.Afterthecoagulation,thisfilamententeredtheairandwaswounduponbobbins.OnedayChardonnetinspect
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Byanaccidentthewaterwhichshouldcoagulatethecellulosenitratefilamentwasstopped.Theworkmenfoundthatthespinningoperationwentmuchbetterwithoutwaterthanwithwater.Thiswasthebirthdayoftheveryimportantprocessofdryspinning,whichisactuallycarriedoutonthegreatestscale.IIIIamnotforamomentsuggestingthateverythingthatgoesoninlaboratorieswillultimatelyturntosomeunexpectedpracticaluseorthatanultimateprac - ticaluseisitsactualjustification.MuchmoreamIpleadingfortheabolitionoftheword"use,"andforthefreeingofthehumanspirit.Tobesure,weshallthusfreesomeharmlesscranks.Tobesure,weshallthuswastesomepreciousdol - lars.Butwhatisinfinitelymoreimpor - tantisthatweshallbestrikingtheshacklesoffthehumanmindandsettingitfreefortheadventureswhichinourowndayhave,ontheonehand,takenHaleandRutherfordandEinsteinandtheirpeersmillionsuponmillionsofmilesintotheuttermostrealmsofspaceand,ontheother,loosedtheboundlessenergyimprisonedintheatom.WhatRutherfordandotherslikeBohrandMillikanhavedoneoutofsheercurios
id: 60e68985891b3f9a6d8d30c3cdb8af06 - page: 5
Letthemalone.Noeducationalad - ministratorcanpossiblydirectthechan - nelsinwhichtheseorothermenshallwork.Thewaste,Iadmitagain,looksprodigious.Itisnotreallyso.Allthewastethatcouldbesummedupinde - velopingthescienceofbacteriologyisasnothingcomparedtotheadvantageswhichhaveaccruedfromthediscoveries
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THEUSEFULNESSOFUSELESSKNOWLEDGE549ofPasteur,Koch,Ehrlich,TheobaldSmith,andscoresofothers - advantagesthatcouldneverhaveaccruediftheideaofpossibleusehadpermeatedtheir.minds.Thesegreatartists - forsucharescientistsandbacteriologists - dis - seminatedthespiritwhichprevailedinlaboratoriesinwhichtheyweresimplyfollowingthelineoftheirownnaturalcuriosity.Iamnotcriticisinginstitutionslikeschoolsofengineeringorlawinwhichtheusefulnessmotivenecessarilypredomi - nates.Notinfrequentlythetablesareturned,andpracticaldifficultiesen - counteredinindustryorinlaboratoriesstimulatetheoreticalinquirieswhichmayormaynotsolvetheproblemsbywhichtheyweresuggested,butmayalsoopenupnewvistas,uselessatthemoment,butpregnantwithfutureachievements,prac - ticalandtheoretical.Withtherapidaccumulationof"use - less"ortheoreticknowledgeasituationhasbeencreatedinwhichithasbecomeincreasinglypossibletoattackpracticalproblemsinascientificspirit.Notonlyinventors,but"pure"scientistshavein - dulgedinthissport.IhavementionedMarconi,aninventor,who,whi
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