January 1992
·
3 Reads
·
9 Citations
“Basic science” and “applied science” are current terms in the language of our day. It seems to be commonly accepted that a science, or a part of a science, is “basic” if its purpose is the understanding of phenomena, “applied” if it has in view the mastery of these phenomena by human beings for their own ends, good or bad. If some people fear “applied” science because of the catastrophes it can bring about, there are few who dispute the value of “basic” science, detached if possible from the use which is made of it.