--- Francois-Rene Rideau <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: "Obviously, the government didn't forecast the unpredictable path of discovery any more than the "private sector". Non sequitur."
No. I was using the story as neither a premise nor a conclusion to an argument about funding sources. It seemed as though the discussion was starting to be framed in terms of useful vs. useless science, and I wanted to nip it in the bud with an interesting example. --- Gil Guillory <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: "Sorry so long." I enjoy reading all the posts, even the long ones. "I would also like to raise an objection to the supposed distinction between basic and applied research. This is, at best, a...continuum with a fuziness akin to the economic distinction between goods of the first order and goods of higher orders." I feel like I'm in a Monty Python sketch. Since I'm a clumsy writer at best, I will accept defeat. The argument is much better presented in a chapter from this list's namesake. That's not an argument from authority! I'm just pointing to an interesting idea to which I cannot do justice. Best regards, jsh ===== "...for no one admits that he incurs an obligation to another merely because that other has done him no wrong." -Machiavelli, Discourses on Livy, Discourse 16. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Faith Hill - Exclusive Performances, Videos & More http://faith.yahoo.com
