Mini book review

The usefulness of useless information

A short review of a small book. This pocket size 93 page book is, despite it’s size, fascinating. It is an essay written in 1939 by Abraham Flexner with a companion essay by Robbert Dijkgraaf.

By 1930 Abraham Flexner worried that investigative science had become restrictive with research scientists only building on what was already known rather than letting their imagination flourish. He believed that curiosity with the help of serendipity was the only force strong enough to break through mental walls that block truly transformative ideas and technologies.

He exampled William Gladstone, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, visiting Michael Farraday’s laboratory in 1850. He enquired as to what practical good Farraday’s experiment with electricity would bring. Farraday answered “one day you may tax it”.

He was so sure of his belief Abraham set about getting funding to establish the type of kind of place where scientists could let their minds run free. The result was The Institute of Advanced Studies opened at Princeton University in 1930. Here scientists can work on any theory they may have without the distraction of having students or any administrative duties.
In one way the timing was propitious for many German Jewish scientists were becoming uneasy about their situation in Europe at that time and saw the Institute as their future. Scientists such as Albert Einstein and Max Plank are among these who worked on what were seen as imposable theories. But without quantum mechanics and the theory or relativity most of what we take for granted today would not be possible.
Robbert Dijkgraaf’s essay expands on the Abraham’s ideas to make this a really well worth while read which will provide plenty of food for thought. A little gem of a book
Mike Beckett