Having a practical, real-world application is not what I equate with having long-term value for mankind. I feel comfortable taking the opposite position - if w

Having a practical, real-world application is not what I equate with having long-term value for mankind. I feel comfortable taking the opposite position - if work with a practical application is worthwhile it should be commercially viable and we don't need to make any special effort to fund it academically - corporations and capitalism will surely cover it. On the other hand, the humanities require investment that corporations are less willing to make - therefore the public should make more effort to fund these.