issue 40 求拍 求狂拍

qyr1987UID: 2754639

TOPIC: ISSUE40 - "Scholars and researchers should not be concerned with whether their work makes a contribution to the larger society. It is more important that they pursue their individual interests, however unusual or idiosyncratic those interests may seem."


Both assertions made by the author are specious. The first contention flies in the face of empirical evidence that impetus in the realm of scholarship and of research mostly attribute to the will to help development of the society. The second allegation overstates the contribution personal interests exert.

Admittedly, it is reasonable to do research without concerning the contribution to society. Paying too much attention on contribution will restrain the ideas without any mundane concerns. In fact, the essence of research is to explore the unknown frontiers of the world, which means even the scientists themselves are not that sure about what they would discover, let alone what influence their works may exert. In retrospect of history, many profound breakthroughs are result from imagination or even by accident with, nothing to do with the contribution to society. Kekule, a German organic chemist, found the ring shape of the benzene molecule by imagining a snake chasing its own tail; Marie Curie did not intend to discover the element of radium, which was all by accident.

However, on balance, it is crucial to do research with concerning the contribution. On one hand, the better-being of society is a wish most people share; as a result, research for that wish is relatively easy to attract fund and personnel resource. Query whether it is possible for the accomplishment of Manhattan Project if not so many scientists devoted their efforts for the purpose of terminating the war and of bringing back peace earlier. On the other hand, if not think twice before use, a research originally designed as impetus for society may alter to a threat. The product of Manhattan Project, nuclear bomb, eventually became no more than a tool for kill. Therefore, society should regulate the trend of research.

On one hand, interests are vital to scholars' and researchers' work. After all, interests are the fount of creativity; the Wright brothers conceived the first successful motor-powered plane all owing to long for flying. Besides, interest could be among the paramount driving forces which help the scientists insist on research regardless of obstacles and tedious process. The zeal for nature helped Darwin dedicate himself to discover and interpret the discipline of nature all his life; no matter how hard it was to drift from pillar to post for collecting data and how boring to conclude those data; finally, his immortal masterpiece-the Origin of Species-came out. Query whether he would have made it without such interest.

On the other hand, if they merely made personal interests the cynosure, their endeavor may be in vain and even induce disaster, especially when interests surpass rationality and become the master of thoughts. Quite telling an example is that some people were still immersed and even passionate in building perpetual motion machine long after the law of conservation of energy was discovered; as a result, they were driven from pillar to post all their lives. Their sharing interest played an important role in undermining their lives.

In the final analysis, research ultimately belongs to the all human beings and the whole society. Without interests, research would lose its starting point and underpinning; without the well-being of society as objective, research would lead nowhere even to abyss.

qyr1987UID: 2754639

这篇文章的观点被我分开讨论了 不知道可不可以啊 大家给点意见呗