The issue of whether governments should fund scientific research without knowing its consequences is widely discussed and debated. Research is one of the building blocks for a nation’s growth and I believe that by inhibiting any scientific research will have a significant impact on the development of the nation. In this essay, we will explore a scenario that supports this stance and where it might not hold true.
To start with, It is undeniable that any kind of scientific research leads to development and helps to boost public welfare, not all researches aimed towards a particular end goal, some of them are conducted to enhance knowledge in a particular field, For example, when paleontologists started their research on the dinosaur species, Tyrannosaurus Rex, the sole purpose was to enhance the knowledge about the animal and its habitat.. If the government decides not to fund these researches, they are indirectly impeding the growth of their nation. For instance, Indian space research organisation (ISRO), shortly after its inception, started researching satellite broadcasting, because of which, Indian TV broadcasters were able to broadcast TV programs such as cricket matches and news in real time which would not have been possible, had the government decided not to fund this endeavour.
However, while mostly every scientific research brings growth and development to a particular field, it may not be the case in some scenarios. For instance, In a country, scientists decided to conduct research on nuclear fission, in order to develop a way to use nuclear reaction as a renewable source of energy, but that country is suffering from a financial crisis. In this scenario, funding such an enormous project could weaken the financial situation and the country could face public outrage. In such situations it is necessary to analyse the situation and to make a rational decision based on the analysis.
In conclusion, It should be the utmost priority of any government to support any scientific research because the growth and development brought by these scholarships is not only limited to the country but it also spreads to the whole world, But it is also necessary that governments perform a proper analysis on how this financial support would potentially affect other sectors of their country before sanctioning the funds.