Re:I no longer understand my PhD dissertation
by baby on Sunday February 14, 2016 @07:05PM
(#11100674)
I don't necessarily agree with that point of view. Even if a paper brings nothing new to the pot, it might help others to get into a field or a problem. I often find myself reading the introduction and first sections of useless (to me) papers just because they do a really good job at explaining things that are confusing. This last years I've really came to appreciate papers as a learning tool instead of class notes or books.
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Re:I no longer understand my PhD dissertation
by MicroBerto on Sunday February 14, 2016 @07:30PM
(#11100761)
Who's to say it doesn't bring anything new? If it's never been written before, it's new.
I often see technology growing in a "staircase" fashion. Things plateau, and then there's a period of many small 'chink in the armor' improvements... and then one of those ideas inspires something that floods into a whole new area.
Sometimes it takes a lot of smart brains throwing time at 'useless' junk before that insane theory is found. Othertimes we just await an Einstein-like brain to come on the scene and activate new stuff.