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NancyLebovitz comments on [Link] Distance from Harvard - Less Wrong Discussion

6 Post author: GLaDOS 16 October 2013 08:43PM

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Comment author: NancyLebovitz 17 October 2013 02:02:34PM 8 points [-]

From memory of Root-Bernstein's work: Scientists are more likely to make discoveries if they are trying to solve a practical problem outside their main field of research.

This would be easier to institute than trying to get the right level of isolation.

Comment author: Gurkenglas 19 October 2013 07:42:52AM 2 points [-]

Because there are usually many more possible applications to practical problems than avenues of basic research in their main field, which lessens the number of people thinking the same thoughts?