While I share some of your misgivings about simulating brains, you do have to remember that giving lots of money to scientists for basic research is bound to co

While I share some of your misgivings about simulating brains, you do have to remember that giving lots of money to scientists for basic research is bound to come up with something useful and might as well lead to serendipitous results, regardless of hubris or wild ambitions. If only grant proposals that would very likely lead to something would be accepted, then there would be no basic research. The value of basic research is only cashed out much later, if at all.