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fireballs619 · 3885 days ago · link · · parent · post: Western Science Severs Ties with Russia - Scientific American
I actually got into a relatively extended debate today about this exact subject. It is hard to convince people to invest in something when there is admittedly no guarantee of profit down the line. There is a very very high chance, but no certainty. Their argument was that if basic research was in fact profitable, private companies would have an incentive to invest in it and the fact that they are not indicates there is no profit there. I said that it was certainly a risky investment for a company, and they responded that the American taxpayer should not have to pay for that risk. Obviously I disagree, but it is hard to convince people of the merits of science for science's sake.