“History proves abundantly that pure science, undertaken without regard to applications to human needs, is usually ultimately of direct benefit to mankind.” NeedsHumansMankindPureProveBenefitsDirectRegardApplicationHuman Needs Author:Irving Langmuir
“It is hard to think of practical applications of the black hole. Because practical applications are so remote, many people assume we should not be interested. But this quest to understand the world is what defines us as human beings.” PeopleThinkingWorldShouldHumansHardBlackHuman BeingsAssumingPracticalsHolesApplicationQuestsBlack Hole Author:Yuri Milner
“Often people, especially computer engineers, focus on the machines. But in fact we need to focus on humans, on how humans care about doing programming or operating the application of the machines.” PeopleNeedsHumansFactsCareFocusComputerMachinesProgrammingApplicationEngineers Author:Yukihiro Matsumoto
“Curiosity, which may or may not eventuate in something useful, is probably the most outstanding characteristic of modern thinking ... Institutions of learning should be devoted to the cultivation of curiosity, and the less they are deflected by the consideration of immediacy of application, the more likely they are to contribute not only to human welfare, but to the equally important satisfaction of intellectual interest, which may indeed be said to have become the ruling passion of intellectual life in modern times.” ThinkingShouldHumansMaySaidImportantPassionInterestModernIntellectualInstitutionsCuriositySatisfactionWelfareCharacteristicsConsiderationApplicationDevotedRulingOutstandingCultivationModern TimesImmediacyIntellectual LifeRuling Passion Author:Abraham Flexner