[00:00.51]1996

[00:02.83]The differences in relative growth of various areas

[00:06.04]of scientific research have several causes.

[00:09.57](1)

[00:10.88]are completely reasonable results of social needs.

[00:14.41]Others are reasonable consequences

[00:16.33]of particular advances in science

[00:19.55]being to some extent self-accelerating.>

[00:22.48]Some, however , are less reasonable processes

[00:25.51]of different growth in which preconception

[00:28.23]of the form scientific theory ought to take,

[00:31.16]by persons in authority,

[00:32.88]act to alter the growth pattern of different areas.

[00:36.38]This is a new problem probably not yet unavoidable;

[00:40.20]but it is a frightening trend.

[00:42.42](2)

[00:45.35]when several governments came to the conclusion

[00:47.97]that the specific demands

[00:49.39]that a government wants to make of its scientific establishment

[00:53.31]cannot generally be foreseen in detail.>

[00:56.54]It can be predicted, however,

[00:58.66]that from time to time questions will arise

[01:01.38]which will require specific scientific answers.

[01:05.01]It is therefore generally valuable

[01:06.91]to treat the scientific establishment as a resource

[01:09.83]or machine to be kept in functional order.

[01:13.04](3)

[01:15.15]by supporting a certain amount of research

[01:17.47]not related to immediate goals

[01:19.49]but of possible consequence in the future.>

[01:22.51]This kind of support, like all government support,

[01:25.24]requires decisions about the appropriate recipients of funds.

[01:29.47]Decisions based on utility as opposed to lack

[01:32.41]of utility are straightforward.

[01:34.60]But a decision among projects

[01:36.35]none of which has immediate utility

[01:38.27]is more difficult.

[01:40.08]The goal of the supporting agencies

[01:41.99]is the praisable one of supporting "good"

[01:44.73]as opposed to "bad" science,

[01:46.75]but a valid determination is difficult to make.

[01:50.08]Generally, the idea of good science tends to become confused

[01:54.01]with the capacity of the field in question

[01:56.74]to generate an elegant theory.

[01:58.97](4)

[02:02.60]are in principle unable to deal

[02:04.61]with some of the world’s more fascinating

[02:06.38]and delightful aspects.>

[02:08.47](5)

[02:10.79]for thought must arise in the future

[02:13.01]as they have in the past,

[02:14.83]giving rise to new standards of elegance.>