【1010G8月AW小组】【我们的小组】ISSUE40 by【❀雨】

verydarkUID: 2765585

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."

WORDS: 568
TIME: 00:42:00
DATE: 2010/8/1 16:25:15

Does scholars and researchers should more concerned with if their work can make a contribution to the society than with their own interests? Some people, along with the speaker of this statement, may answer "yes". From my perspective, I mostly agree with the speaker that it is more important for scientists to pursue their own interests no matter how unusual and idiosyncratic those interest may seem, but insofar as those immediate problems still has scientists devoted to find out solutions.

Admittedly, in this era of rapid technological development leading to increasing social changes, our society as a whole, presents more and more problems that seems immediate and urgent for people to solve. Scholars and researchers' ability and researches are indispensible for our society to deal with the increasing new problems. In fact, government and organizations are also increasingly enthusiastic to encourage scientists into researches directly related to improvement of the society, solving some immediate problems. Take my institute for example, each scientific project must be handed on to evaluate by the institute, if the research's anticipated result can immediately serve to some problems people faced with at current, the chance for the project to get more donation from the institute would be doubled.

What's more, take a look back to the history of human, most of the innovations by which our level of lives was highly boosted, were come from scientists' effort. To keep discovering the unknown is not only human beings' instinct but also the way on which people are developing and improving themselves. That is to say, various researches are still necessary to satisfy endless need of human' desire to live in a better place. We should avoid the possibilities that some fields which relative to our prospective better lives have no attraction to scholars and researchers.

However, to judge whether a study or research makes contribution to the whole society at the very time when the study or research take place seems too hasty. Many fruits from countless researches, whose results cannot be applied to society right away, may benefit the whole world years later. For instance, in 18th, the study and research in environmental pollution was regarded as useless, for the reason that there was hardly any problem in environment at that time. However, with time pass by, people nowadays have realized the importance of environmental problems and put much emphasis on issues around. The example fairly illustrates that it is too cursory to predict or generalize the value of some efforts our scientists are making.

Even if the prospect of an area, in contributing the society, is vague, scientists in those areas are still deserved enough encouragement and attention. Giving the freedom to researchers to choose what they are interested in has many positive effects for the prosperity of science research. People tend to work seriously and dedicatedly when they are doing what they love. What's more, the comprehensive new subjects of science which are given rise by scholars would enhance the level of academic world, making the knowledge system we master now stronger. In short, a kaleidoscopic science world would surely benefit us, in many aspects.

To sum up, every scholar or researcher have the right to choose which area he is fond of. Government and society should give them equal encouragement as well as donation, since a colorful science world is surely more beneficial for us, in a long-term view.