3 ms·

The system (at least with regards to the sciences) worked well during the cold war because we had some higher goal to focus on, now with that gone, it's just a

The system (at least with regards to the sciences) worked well during the cold war because we had some higher goal to focus on, now with that gone, it's just a bunch of hacks looking to line their pockets. Speaking as someone with a PhD the whole system needs to be razed to the ground and reconstructed in another way. Its disappointing also private industry doesn't step in and fund more greenfield work (i.e. where is the 21st century's bell labs?)

ls612 4y ago
MS Research? Google’s many moonshot companies?
- potbelly83 4y ago
  MS research is an interesting case. From my memory they did support some theoretical research in non-linear stat mech a few years back (i.e. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oded_Schramm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oded_Schramm worked there and he was certainly doing pure research), they also let https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Freedman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Freedman spend time doing his topology research even though it probably aint going to lead to a quantum computer :) Google however seems mainly to support research in ML/DL with applications the end result, yes it's research, but I wouldn't call it greenfield research like what occurred at Bell Labs (i.e. discovery of microwave background radiation).
  - ls612 4y ago
    Google is also paying for things like Calico which are pretty speculative and unconnected with AI/ML.
RappingBoomer 4y ago
razing and reconstruction applies to more than just academia...the entire system is a sham... all we can do now is hope for some sort of peaceful collapse similar to what happened to the Soviet union 3 decades ago
- LBJsPNS 4y ago
  That collapse certainly wasn't peaceful within the nations of the former Soviet Union. There was no military uprising but thre was utter chaos among the civilian population.
hbogert 4y ago
Bell labs was funded by Bell's monopoly position at the time right?
- picsao 4y ago
- chongli 4y ago
  Yes. It seems only monopolies or near-monopolies engage in substantial amounts of greenfield research. Everyone else is too busy competing to spend a dime on anything that won’t help next quarter or next year if we’re lucky.

ls612 4y ago

MS Research? Google’s many moonshot companies?

potbelly83 4y ago
MS research is an interesting case. From my memory they did support some theoretical research in non-linear stat mech a few years back (i.e. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oded_Schramm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oded_Schramm worked there and he was certainly doing pure research), they also let https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Freedman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Freedman spend time doing his topology research even though it probably aint going to lead to a quantum computer :) Google however seems mainly to support research in ML/DL with applications the end result, yes it's research, but I wouldn't call it greenfield research like what occurred at Bell Labs (i.e. discovery of microwave background radiation).
- ls612 4y ago
  Google is also paying for things like Calico which are pretty speculative and unconnected with AI/ML.

RappingBoomer 4y ago

razing and reconstruction applies to more than just academia...the entire system is a sham... all we can do now is hope for some sort of peaceful collapse similar to what happened to the Soviet union 3 decades ago

LBJsPNS 4y ago
That collapse certainly wasn't peaceful within the nations of the former Soviet Union. There was no military uprising but thre was utter chaos among the civilian population.

hbogert 4y ago

Bell labs was funded by Bell's monopoly position at the time right?

picsao 4y ago
chongli 4y ago
Yes. It seems only monopolies or near-monopolies engage in substantial amounts of greenfield research. Everyone else is too busy competing to spend a dime on anything that won’t help next quarter or next year if we’re lucky.