Purposeless Research

First year in MBA is done.... Thankfully. ME half an MBA now.
M writing my blog after god knows how many days...
The last entry was the successful completion of 0.25 of my MBA.
Read an interesting piece a few days back... By our Director Prof. Balaram.
He talks about Purposeless science in one of his editorials & I have Ctrl C + Ctrl V it here below


Must every laboratory experiment be the result of cold calculation and must we only celebrate the brutally efficient, professional successes of science? Is there no room for those who would like to pursue a hobbyist’s approach to science? In these commercial times it seems incongruous to suggest that doing experiments for fun is justifiable. After all, a hobby cannot be subsidized by public funds. But, maybe there still is a place for an old fashioned, amateur’s approach, within the precincts of academic institutions, where many young minds are still to decide whether or not to stay with science. Even cricket and tennis must be fun to play, in order to attract the young. The most hardened performers hardly give their best once the enjoyment is gone. So it is with science. We are unfortunately living in times when the pressures of delivering results ‘useful’ are beginning to overtake even the ‘most academic’ of our scientists. While we have generally failed to develop an efficient professional cadre of scientists in many important areas, we are in great danger of also eliminating the mildly irrational dreamers.

Though I am neither a scientist nor a researcher, as an aspiring Technology Manager and a one upon a time Engineer, this sure is worth pondering upon....