The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge Hardcover - 2017

"Flexner and Dijkgraaf argue that basic research--driven by curiosity, freedom, and imagination--is a proven and essential seed for the revolutionary technologies that fuel the economy, transform society, and provide solutions for the world's problems. A thoughtful appeal for long-term thinking in a time full of short-term distractions."--Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Alphabet Inc.

"These two eloquent essays are timely and timeless treasures that remind us why and how the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake has transformed humanity and human affairs. The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge is a gift to all those concerned with the world of tomorrow."--Sean B. Carroll, author of The Serengeti Rules and Brave Genius

"In essays written more than seventy years apart, the founding and current directors of Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study demonstrate how human progress has depended--quite unexpectedly--on unfettered scholarship carried out by talented, obsessively curious individuals. The time lag from their discoveries to practical benefit will be long and the path unpredictable. But here is the bottom line: as strange as it seems, humanity's future is likely to depend on society's greatly increased support for fundamental, seemingly 'impractical' research."--Bruce Alberts, University of California, San Francisco, and former editor-in-chief of Science magazine

"The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge is excellent. Dijkgraaf's essay is a remarkable piece of writing that eloquently puts Flexner's essay in historical context, revealing the influence of his vision on the twentieth century and reevaluating it in the light of the twenty-first."--Carlo Rovelli, author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics

"Flexner's brilliant essay is as valuable today as when it was first published. And Dijkgraaf's eloquent companion essay, which admirably connects the situation facing past and present advocates of basic scientific research, is a pleasure to read. The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge will be very useful in the intense global debate over this vital topic."--Neil Turok, Director and Niels Bohr Chair, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics