ISSUE40[MIRACLE小组第二次作业]

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Issue 40
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.

The balance between the practicality and idealism has always been one of the most debatable issue, especially concerning the aim of the research. I agree that research should be aimed to break existing ground, thus researchers ought to authorized to follow their own interests, despite of the occasionally apparent unusualness and even the idiosyncrasy of it, yet the public benefit should be taken into accounted at the same time   

Viewing from researches’ perspective, it is the human nature to pursue the field in which we are interested. To compel the scholars and researchers to major in areas boring them would waste their talents , their time and other resources and even a torture for the researchers.  As the most outstanding physicist in his time, Faraday was forced to focus on chemistry for several years, although he was most interested in electricity. Had Faraday been allowed to do pursue his interests earlier, Faraday should have done research with greater enthusiasm, and it is entirely reasonable to infer that the discovery of the law of Faraday would have been a couple of years earlier.  

Viewing the potential significance of the research ,  the research in the unusual or even idiosyncratic field should be supported in most cases, as it always leads to the greatest discovery. Once upon time, the earth was widely regarded as the center of the universe, time and space are absolute concepts, the matter consists of four basic elements. Even latter, when this hypothesis was rejected, replaced by the hypothesis that the matter is made up of the atoms, atoms are believed to be unbreakable. If there had been no idiosyncratic or unusual ideas against those seemingly-right concepts, they must have dominated our mind even nowadays, and what we might have needed is the Renaissance in science. Nowadays, the Evolution theory dominates minds of the majority, however, some researchers are object to it .  Although seem a bit idiosyncratic, their minds might help to reveal the truth of the nature.

However, public universities should not allow its faculty to indulge in their personal fantasies at taxpayer expense, for the most important mission of researches is to benefit and educate the society, In fact, only the discovery contributing significantly to the society in science are remembered and highly regarded. Discovered in 1895, the X-ray was comprehensively utilized in the medical services, and the research was honored a Nobel Prize in Physics; Penicillin, the incredible drug invented by Alexander Fleming who was granted a Nobel Prize for this contribution , saved millions of lives since then.

The public benefit should be considered concerning the aim of the research in art as well , and even perhaps , the society interest ought to take the priority. Actually, it is indeed the case. Millions of exhibitions are hold while most of them are sponsored by the government, not only to show the creators' skill, but also serve to inspire the public 's sense of the beauty, and help them better enjoy their life.

A balance between the researchers’ individual interest and the public benefit should be obtained, despite of its difficulty, for both of them are the need either of the individual or the society.