THE USEFULNESS OF USELESS KNOWLEDGE

The search for answers to deep questions, motivated solely by curiosity and without concern for applications, often leads not only t o the greatest scientific discoveries but also to the most revolutionary technological breakthroughs. In short, no quantum mechanics , no computer chips. This brief book includes Flexner's timeless 1939 essay alongside a new companion essay by Robbert Dijkgraaf, th e Institute's current director, in which he shows that Flexner's defense of the value of the unobstructed pursuit of useless knowled ge may b...[Read more]