The aim of useful science is to contribute to the general collection of knowledge. This is the primary goal of all research journals, however it’s not the sole objective: a good paper could be misinterpreted or even be incorrectly judged to be unsuitable for publication because of the lack of mpgpress.com/why-you-should-pursue-a-degree-in-physics/ value (for instance, in situations where research has been too early translated into practical applications).
Pure knowledge should not be restricted in the name of relevance. In reality, practical questions can inspire new pure research. (For instance Michael Faraday’s electrical research were inspired by his curiosity about lightning).
We also know that technological applications come from many different sources. A medical expedition to Easter Island examined the population’s extraordinary high resistance to tetanus. Later soil samples taken from that site were transferred to Ayerst Pharmaceuticals and further research into natural antimicrobials was conducted.
These examples show that the distinction between ‘pure research’ and applied research is a false one. A more productive criterion for judging research is to encourage the development of a broad variety of practical applications that could be made from the findings of research and to increase the knowledge of scientists to see the potential of their research. This is the main goal of the field of translational ecology that aims to alter the basic/applied paradigm of science by involving all stakeholders in the creation and use of scientific knowledge. 2017).
Leave a Reply