issue 31 投资科研最高--貌似走题了。。

crazyjooUID: 2805124

TOPIC: ISSUE31 - "Money spent on research is almost always a good investment, even when the results of that research are controversial."
WORDS: 586
TIME: 00:45:00
DATE: 2010-8-10 22:37:15


Is it worthwhile to invest money in scientific research even its results turn out to be controversial? Some people, along with the speaker might say "yes" to this question. However, the speaker falsely assumes that the result of scientific research is predictable. In my point of view, whether money spent on scientific research is a good investment depends on how people use the result rather than whether the results are controversial or not.

Admittedly, it is not uncommon to see many examples that many people gain a lot from their investment in sciences, no matter reputation or extra income. For one thing, with the advent of modernization, people begin to pay more attention to scientific researches since which had brought them lots of convenience. The tremendous development speed of sciences attracts people to invest in this hopeful industry. Some people say that if a man invest one dollar in Bill Gate's first software, he would have already been a millionaires now. For another, government places restrictions on scientific research in order to prevent it from violate moral standard. The controversial projects such as cloning human have been prohibited all around the world. All in all, it seems like that to invest in scientific research is a always good choice considering you may gain lots of money due to its attractiveness and you can avoid undesirable consequence brought by scientific research since government had already guarantee its safety. But is it really the case?

In fact, whether a scientific research turns out to be a good investment depends on how people use the new technology. The result of scientific research is hard to foresee. Scientists are standing of the frontier of human knowledge and scientific research is an exploration of unknown. Therefore, even the scientists themselves have no idea about whether they will discover an angel or a demon. The only certain thing they believe is that through scientific research, they will find another powerful force. Can any one predict that Newton's Three Laws of Motion will apply to modern astronomy? Can any one foresee that Einstein's mass-energy formula will be used to build atomic bomb which kill hundreds of thousands people as well as to establish nuclear plant to light the world? While we are enjoying the delicious transgenic food, how can we expect that some people with evil motivation try to use the new breakthrough of biology to subvert the moral standard of the world. It is the intent nature of science--double edge sword--that determine the uncertainty of the result of scientific research.

In this respect, we should no only focus on those scientific research which looks like an lucrative and beneficial one and we should not be deterred away by the potential hazard of sciences. In stead, what is more meaningful is to ask our government to cooperate with scientist intimidate and enact policies to enhance people's awareness of potential negative influence of science. It is not to say that more restrictions should be placed on scientific research. Rather, it is to put a long term supervision on those new discoveries and inventions of science. Although the opportunity cost carried by this measure might be huge in terms of how the money can invest in more scientific research and hence accelerate the pace of the development of science, it will be proven worthwhile.

To sum up, the speaker is fundamentally wrong due to the uncertainty of scientific research. Nevertheless, it is wise for you to invest your money to research; after all, most scientific research is well intended.