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> no state grants or public research funds for mathematics during the 17th century. Since the state was the wealthy privates, for all practical purposes there
by consp 16d ago
> no state grants or public research funds for mathematics during the 17th century.
Since the state was the wealthy privates, for all practical purposes there was by patronage (or the wealthy elite themselves).
- saithound 16d agoNot so relevant to this discussion, since if you are funded by patronage networks, you need to justify your work to your patron. If you are funded by grants or public research funds, you need to justify your work to the general public.
- true_religion 15d agoThey did that... I take it you don't accept their justification, but that doesn't mean an attempt wasn't made. I'm another part of the general public, and I accept their justification. We can all vote, or use whatever levers our political system gives us to show our acceptance/rejection of basic research, but IMO basic research is absolutely necessary.
- classified 15d ago> you need to justify your work to your patron. Assuming this is true, how did they justify their work, which had, at the time, no practical application?
- ipsod 15d agoI'm pretty sure that it'd be easy for anyone of above-average intelligence to realize that Newton was on another level. So... network effects... same way most people get jobs, these days. Art got patrons, too - what practical use is it?