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Peace time is the best time to invest in military research because you'll be more prepared to secure an advantageous position when a conflict emerges. If you on

Peace time is the best time to invest in military research because you'll be more prepared to secure an advantageous position when a conflict emerges. If you only invest during an in-progress conflict then what you're really doing is playing catch up.

godelski 6y ago
Read past my first few sentences. I'm arguing that civilian research IS military research. I'm also not arguing 100% in one vs 100% in another, such a scheme would be absurdly idiotic.
- ThrowawayR2 6y ago
  > "I'm arguing that civilian research IS military research." Which is prima facie untrue. While there are benefits to basic research over the long term, it took roughly 60 years from the discovery of the laser to the beginnings of deployable laser weaponry today. Those sorts of timeframes aren't that useful for a military expecting a conflict in the next few years.
  - godelski 6y ago
    > Which is prima facie untrue. Only if you have little knowledge of military. > it took roughly 60 years from the discovery of the laser to the beginnings of deployable laser weaponry today. But it took less than a year for it to be used by the CIA and FBI for spying (an interferometer was one of the first applications) and not much longer for it to be used for range finding and targeting for the military and not much longer than that to be used to determine mass of objects. The directed energy weapon you are referring to isn't the only application that the military, CIA, FBI, and other agencies have for lasers. There are hundreds more than what I mentioned and a dozen of which were in practical use within the first 5 years of its discovery. Just because you aren't aware of the uses of such technology doesn't mean that they aren't used and doesn't mean they aren't __HIGHLY__ valuable assets. We could go on and include things like nightvision, underwater communications (other types of communications as well), guidance, or defensive applications but I think it is pretty clear that the laser is one of the _best_ examples of technology being used (and quickly adopted) by military/government, not worst.

godelski 6y ago

Read past my first few sentences. I'm arguing that civilian research IS military research. I'm also not arguing 100% in one vs 100% in another, such a scheme would be absurdly idiotic.

ThrowawayR2 6y ago
> "I'm arguing that civilian research IS military research." Which is prima facie untrue. While there are benefits to basic research over the long term, it took roughly 60 years from the discovery of the laser to the beginnings of deployable laser weaponry today. Those sorts of timeframes aren't that useful for a military expecting a conflict in the next few years.
- godelski 6y ago
  > Which is prima facie untrue. Only if you have little knowledge of military. > it took roughly 60 years from the discovery of the laser to the beginnings of deployable laser weaponry today. But it took less than a year for it to be used by the CIA and FBI for spying (an interferometer was one of the first applications) and not much longer for it to be used for range finding and targeting for the military and not much longer than that to be used to determine mass of objects. The directed energy weapon you are referring to isn't the only application that the military, CIA, FBI, and other agencies have for lasers. There are hundreds more than what I mentioned and a dozen of which were in practical use within the first 5 years of its discovery. Just because you aren't aware of the uses of such technology doesn't mean that they aren't used and doesn't mean they aren't __HIGHLY__ valuable assets. We could go on and include things like nightvision, underwater communications (other types of communications as well), guidance, or defensive applications but I think it is pretty clear that the laser is one of the _best_ examples of technology being used (and quickly adopted) by military/government, not worst.