obviously I am taking about the US government here, but if people want to give contributions about other governments that will be interesting as well.
so the question is: should the government fund research? If so, what types of groups should be eligible?
I am probably biased, since my background is computer science, and I know many people who received research grants for grad school and postdocs, but I think my points are still valid. I know that grants probably aren't constitutional, but their benefit seems to outweigh no funding all. The reason college students can spend so much time researching is because their grant pays them which keeps them from getting part time jobs which would eat away research time. Also, for the private industry to prosper it needs to hire people who will be immediately effective since they are on their own funds and can't wait two or three years for someone to gain enough experience. Spending those years at college getting free tution and poverty level pay to then be extremely useful to a private company seems like a good tradeoff to me and to those industries.
I also think private companies should be able to receive grants since many are unable to get the capital needed for startup or to perform research in materials or engineering while still small since you need 6 or 7 figures just to get going. Also it allows them to keep a much higher number of skilled people employees than they otherwise could which is good for the economy as well as motivating students since they know jobs are waiting for them.
Without grants I think much of the research done in computer sicence, many fields of engineering, physics, etc would just not exist. Even though many grants are abused and alot of them just flop because unqualified people get them, I still think the benefits outweight anything else.
Also, it may seem weird that I propose something just to agree with it, but I wanted to get others opinions.
so the question is: should the government fund research? If so, what types of groups should be eligible?
I am probably biased, since my background is computer science, and I know many people who received research grants for grad school and postdocs, but I think my points are still valid. I know that grants probably aren't constitutional, but their benefit seems to outweigh no funding all. The reason college students can spend so much time researching is because their grant pays them which keeps them from getting part time jobs which would eat away research time. Also, for the private industry to prosper it needs to hire people who will be immediately effective since they are on their own funds and can't wait two or three years for someone to gain enough experience. Spending those years at college getting free tution and poverty level pay to then be extremely useful to a private company seems like a good tradeoff to me and to those industries.
I also think private companies should be able to receive grants since many are unable to get the capital needed for startup or to perform research in materials or engineering while still small since you need 6 or 7 figures just to get going. Also it allows them to keep a much higher number of skilled people employees than they otherwise could which is good for the economy as well as motivating students since they know jobs are waiting for them.
Without grants I think much of the research done in computer sicence, many fields of engineering, physics, etc would just not exist. Even though many grants are abused and alot of them just flop because unqualified people get them, I still think the benefits outweight anything else.
Also, it may seem weird that I propose something just to agree with it, but I wanted to get others opinions.
