Research - a modest proposal
One of the contributors to National Review Online, George Leef, has a comment on the teaching v. research question that continually roils the upper reaches of our education system. It is a topic of some interest to my own department even as I type (when actually I should be doing some research).
In my view, for every published book or article that really makes a worthwhile contribution to knowledge in a field, there are dozens that make no contribution and wouldn't be written if it weren't for the obligation to get things in print. In a more sensible world, professors would be paid to teach and research work would mainly be done on a contract basis with those who want to fund it. [my emphasis]
Well, time is money and tempus fugit and all that.
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posted by Clemens @ 10:49 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
...the whole point of university research being, of course, that research professors frequently work on topics that interests no one else until, most remarkably, it becomes essential to progress, perhaps as much as several centuries later.
At least, that's what we mathematicians who don't win grants tell each other. :-)
Us historians too. It is interesting to notice the implicit assumption in the NRO piece that you don't have to practice a craft in order to teach it.
And think of the practical consequences of all research being only for money!
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