2 ms·
>does all research have real world applications? The simple answer is: no. To quote Feynman: "Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, b
by romwell 6y ago
>does all research have real world applications?
The simple answer is: no.
To quote Feynman: "Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that's not why we do it." - this applies to all research.
Mathematics especially so, because it is not science, but an art form. The only difference between what people consider "good mathematics" and what isn't is what people consider beautiful, interesting, intriguing (usually, being correct is necessary for being beautiful, but not always: Fermat's Last Theorem has been on the minds of mathematicians for a very long time despite its proof being incorrect; and interesting conjectures are the driving force of this art).
It's a very humane experience, this mathematics of ours.
- ncmncm 6y agoNew vistas of mathematics open up when what was once ugly comes to be appreciated, usually two or more generations after its first exploration. The history shows up in terminology: "irrational" numbers were once anathema, but had to be accepted (although the feelings about the word might have arisen in the other direction). "Negative" numbers came a lot later, and only after zero, which was disliked. "Imaginary" is another. After the bad numbers had to be accepted, we needed a name for the good ones: thus, "natural". Transcendentals got a free pass because of pi, so got a nice name. Infinities are still causing trouble. Like irrationals, they are named for what they are not.