Part Ⅳ English-Chinese Translation
The differences in relative growth of various areas of scientific research have several causes.71 )Some of these causes are completely reasonable results of social needs. Others are reasonableconsequences of particular advances in science being to some extent self-accelerating. Some , however , are less reasonable processes of different growth in which preconception of the form scientific theory ought to take, by persons in authority, act to alter the growth pattern of different areas.This is a new problem probably not yet unavoidable; but it is a frightening trend. 72)This trendbegan during the Second World War, when several govemments came to the conclusion that thespecific demands that a government wants to make of its scientific establishment cannot generallybe foreseen in detail. It can be predicted, however, that from time to time questions will arisewhich will require specific scientific answers. It is therefore generally valuable to treat the scientific establishment as a resource or machine to be kept in functional order. 73)This seems mostlyeffectively done by supporting a certain amount of research not related to immediate goals but ofpossible consequence in the future.
This kind of support , like all government support , requires decisions about the appropriaterecipients of funds. Decisions based on utility as opposed to lack of utility are straightforward. Buta decision among projects none of which has immediate utility is more difficult. The goal of thesupporting agencies is the praisable one of supporting "good " as opposed to "bad" science, but avalid determination is difficult to make. Generally, the idea of good science tends to become confused with the capacity of the field in question to generate an elegant theory. 74)However, theworld is so made that elegant systems are in principle unable to deal with some of the world'smore fascinating and delightful aspects. 75) New forms of thought as well as new subjects forthought must arise in the future as they have in the past, giving rise to new standards of elegance. | |
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