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I disagree. Doing science is one of the best ways for us to spend money as a society. The money spent there is not "wasted", a lot comes back in jobs, training,

I disagree. Doing science is one of the best ways for us to spend money as a society. The money spent there is not "wasted", a lot comes back in jobs, training, better technologies. Moreover, it is money that goes into society, not into the pockets of a few scoundrels linked to billionaires. This is an extremely retrograde view of science, in my opinion.

jfengel 6y ago
I don't think they disagree that we should spend money on science. The question is which science. A bigger collider is a lot of money, following a lot of money on the existing collider. It could instead be spent in many other areas, with at least as good an opportunity to repay itself in jobs and technologies. Fundamental physics is sexy and has had tremendous success, but less sexy areas can also provide benefits.
BurningFrog 6y ago
I'm all for spending money on science. But I can't imagine that throwing ever more billions into this particular very well funded science establishment is the best way to do it.
- ozim 6y ago
  I think the problem is that this well funded science establishment is good at getting money where other science people are not that good at it. Maybe better to spend it on some science than on something else if other scientists would not manage to get that funding anyway.
- HeadsUpHigh 6y ago
  This well funded science establishment gets funding from universities based on positions available. CERN doesn't need grants.
08-15 6y ago
Who cares where the money goes? Money is just worthless green paper. The fact is, highly trained people are fed by the government, which is turn steal that food from someone else, to research something of questionable value. All the effort that went into training those people, and the effort to feed them, and the good these people could otherwise do, may be wasted. "We as society" (What does that even mean?) shouldn't spend effort on science. You as an individual should.
- saagarjha 6y ago
  > "We as society" (What does that even mean?) Surely you understand the concept of taxes? It's difficult to take this comment as a whole in good faith :/
  - 08-15 6y ago
    I do understand the concept of taxes. We as society fund police and defense. That could even be argued to be a definition of society. While taxes are still theft, this theft appears to be necessary. It's an entirely different thing to steal from almost everyone in order to fund what most consider bullshit. You have no business even thinking about what other people should do with their time (remember, money is a proxy for time), just because taxes are a concept.

jfengel 6y ago

I don't think they disagree that we should spend money on science. The question is which science. A bigger collider is a lot of money, following a lot of money on the existing collider. It could instead be spent in many other areas, with at least as good an opportunity to repay itself in jobs and technologies. Fundamental physics is sexy and has had tremendous success, but less sexy areas can also provide benefits.

BurningFrog 6y ago

I'm all for spending money on science. But I can't imagine that throwing ever more billions into this particular very well funded science establishment is the best way to do it.

ozim 6y ago
I think the problem is that this well funded science establishment is good at getting money where other science people are not that good at it. Maybe better to spend it on some science than on something else if other scientists would not manage to get that funding anyway.
HeadsUpHigh 6y ago
This well funded science establishment gets funding from universities based on positions available. CERN doesn't need grants.

08-15 6y ago

Who cares where the money goes? Money is just worthless green paper. The fact is, highly trained people are fed by the government, which is turn steal that food from someone else, to research something of questionable value. All the effort that went into training those people, and the effort to feed them, and the good these people could otherwise do, may be wasted. "We as society" (What does that even mean?) shouldn't spend effort on science. You as an individual should.

saagarjha 6y ago
> "We as society" (What does that even mean?) Surely you understand the concept of taxes? It's difficult to take this comment as a whole in good faith :/
- 08-15 6y ago
  I do understand the concept of taxes. We as society fund police and defense. That could even be argued to be a definition of society. While taxes are still theft, this theft appears to be necessary. It's an entirely different thing to steal from almost everyone in order to fund what most consider bullshit. You have no business even thinking about what other people should do with their time (remember, money is a proxy for time), just because taxes are a concept.