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>> Also, if space exploration is a more scientifically exciting problem than say, ensuring enduring sources of clean water for the millions of people who don't
by icelancer 8y ago
>> Also, if space exploration is a more scientifically exciting problem than say, ensuring enduring sources of clean water for the millions of people who don't have access to it, well then, that's a sad world indeed.
Enduring sources of clean water for everyone in the world is a scientifically very easy problem to solve compared to most of what is discussed on this website.
The problem is that it is a politically very difficult problem to solve. And you want Bezos/Musk/etc to fix this... how?
- evanlivingston 8y agoOh God, I don't want to delegate the task of fixing to the world to just a few tech moguls. However, I would be encouraged to see the scientific community Incorporate a stronger social solidarity into their work. Because a problem is hard or simple is not reason enough alone to pursue it, personally. Finding the largest prime number known might be a somewhat difficult task, but to what end is it found?
- icelancer 8y agoI don't disagree with the main thrust of this comment, but it doesn't have much to do with comparing spaceflight with clean water. One is solvable by the tech community (maybe?) and the other isn't because there are political obstacles in the way. And when tech companies try to solve political issues, people on HN and everyone else who leans marginally liberal get increasingly pissed off that rich people are messing with dem dere laws again.