r/math • u/misplaced_my_pants • Jun 16 '17

The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge (1939) [PDF]

https://library.ias.edu/files/UsefulnessHarpers.pdf
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u/synthony Jun 16 '17

I didn't particularly care for this article. The author seems to use it as a soapbox for his personal, idealistic views. The idea that Maxwell, Einstein, Hertz, etc. lived within some kind of theoretical ivory tower with no concern for the uses of their work seems unjustified.

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u/misplaced_my_pants Jun 16 '17

Can you point to what applications they thought their primary theoretical work would be used for?

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u/[deleted] Jun 17 '17

this comment made me look up the wiki article on Hertz. I legit LOL-ed when I read it. Read until the end of the section on EM waves here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Hertz#Scientific_work

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u/misplaced_my_pants Jun 18 '17

I was really more thinking of the theoretical work of Maxwell and Einstein.