If you can't detect, a priori, which research projects will be successful, why in God's name do we have a grant process?
You're making my point for me, which is that the process of allocating research funding is driven by nothing other than political power.
The university system is built upon the premise that basic research can justify its funding annually by explaining to Congress the many benefits it will yield to American citizens. There is no "all of it" to fund. An infinite amount of funding will generate an infinite amount of research.
I can tell you exactly why the next big development in computing won't come out of type theory. It's because type theory, at least as it exists presently, is impossible for anyone with an IQ of less than 140 to understand. And it is getting more complex, not less complex.
Isn't a PL designer what I called Steele? Note that he doesn't call himself a PL researcher.
You're making my point for me, which is that the process of allocating research funding is driven by nothing other than political power.
The university system is built upon the premise that basic research can justify its funding annually by explaining to Congress the many benefits it will yield to American citizens. There is no "all of it" to fund. An infinite amount of funding will generate an infinite amount of research.
I can tell you exactly why the next big development in computing won't come out of type theory. It's because type theory, at least as it exists presently, is impossible for anyone with an IQ of less than 140 to understand. And it is getting more complex, not less complex.
Isn't a PL designer what I called Steele? Note that he doesn't call himself a PL researcher.