BASIC RESEARCH IN THE UNITED STATES 



as typified by the work of Galileo, Newton, Maxwell, Faraday, 

 Henry, Darwin, Gibbs, and Einstein. Until we are willing to 

 acknowledge and indeed proclaim the importance of purely 

 intellectual and spiritual goals, I am convinced that we shall 

 never realize the full advantages of basic research. If this point 

 of view is correct, then something must be done to change 

 public attitudes or we are in for a gradual but increasing erosion 

 of the quality of our science. This in turn inevitably reacts 

 upon the quality of our technological performance (for those 

 who stress the practical side). More importantly, I suspect our 

 attitude here can subtly affect our whole philosophy. 



Surely one of the great assets of a democracy is the en- 

 couragement of individual initiative. This should certainly be 

 true in the field of intellectual endeavor as well as in other 

 fields. It is a curious anomaly, however, that we who regard 

 ourselves as the leading exponents of democracy do not seem 

 to respect this principle in intellectual activities to the same 

 extent that many other nations do. It is not enough that our 

 scientific and political leaders should subscribe to this principle; 

 a respect for learning, intellectual prowess, must characterize 

 our people as a whole. Otherwise, the encouragement of intel- 

 lectual activity, and indeed creative activity of all kinds, will 

 never enjoy a proper measure of significant and lasting support. 

 In science, nature will become an opponent to be overcome, 

 rather than a friend to be won for the enrichment of our lives. 



Basic Research versus Research and 



Development 



Let us turn now to the organizational pattern under which 

 basic research is conducted in this country. Some general un- 

 derstanding of these matters is essential if we are to consider 

 the problems confronting basic research at the present time. 

 According to National Science Foundation studies for the year 



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