The Society for Useful Knowledge PDF Download

Author: Jonathan Lyons
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 1608195724
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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A spellbinding, rich history of the American Enlightenment-think 1776 meets The Metaphysical Club.

Author: Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (Great Britain)
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography
Languages : en
Pages : 460

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Author: Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (Great Britain)
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography
Languages : en
Pages : 464

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Author: Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : English periodicals
Languages : en
Pages : 524

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Author: Abraham Flexner
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691174768
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 104

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A short, provocative book about why "useless" science often leads to humanity's greatest technological breakthroughs A forty-year tightening of funding for scientific research has meant that resources are increasingly directed toward applied or practical outcomes, with the intent of creating products of immediate value. In such a scenario, it makes sense to focus on the most identifiable and urgent problems, right? Actually, it doesn't. In his classic essay "The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge," Abraham Flexner, the founding director of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and the man who helped bring Albert Einstein to the United States, describes a great paradox of scientific research. The search for answers to deep questions, motivated solely by curiosity and without concern for applications, often leads not only to the greatest scientific discoveries but also to the most revolutionary technological breakthroughs. In short, no quantum mechanics, no computer chips. This brief book includes Flexner's timeless 1939 essay alongside a new companion essay by Robbert Dijkgraaf, the Institute's current director, in which he shows that Flexner's defense of the value of "the unobstructed pursuit of useless knowledge" may be even more relevant today than it was in the early twentieth century. Dijkgraaf describes how basic research has led to major transformations in the past century and explains why it is an essential precondition of innovation and the first step in social and cultural change. He makes the case that society can achieve deeper understanding and practical progress today and tomorrow only by truly valuing and substantially funding the curiosity-driven "pursuit of useless knowledge" in both the sciences and the humanities.

Author: James Mickleburgh
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Atlases
Languages : en
Pages : 248

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Author: Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Author: Robert J. Shiller
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 140084617X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 312

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Nobel Prize-winning economist explains why we need to reclaim finance for the common good The reputation of the financial industry could hardly be worse than it is today in the painful aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. New York Times best-selling economist Robert Shiller is no apologist for the sins of finance—he is probably the only person to have predicted both the stock market bubble of 2000 and the real estate bubble that led up to the subprime mortgage meltdown. But in this important and timely book, Shiller argues that, rather than condemning finance, we need to reclaim it for the common good. He makes a powerful case for recognizing that finance, far from being a parasite on society, is one of the most powerful tools we have for solving our common problems and increasing the general well-being. We need more financial innovation—not less—and finance should play a larger role in helping society achieve its goals. Challenging the public and its leaders to rethink finance and its role in society, Shiller argues that finance should be defined not merely as the manipulation of money or the management of risk but as the stewardship of society's assets. He explains how people in financial careers—from CEO, investment manager, and banker to insurer, lawyer, and regulator—can and do manage, protect, and increase these assets. He describes how finance has historically contributed to the good of society through inventions such as insurance, mortgages, savings accounts, and pensions, and argues that we need to envision new ways to rechannel financial creativity to benefit society as a whole. Ultimately, Shiller shows how society can once again harness the power of finance for the greater good.

Author: Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 524

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Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 450

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