Re:Do we need a better understanding of 'progress'?
by simonebrunozzi on Saturday June 18, 2022 @07:46AM
(#31789019)
There's a case to be made for an UBI (Universal Basic Income) for researchers. You pick 0.1% of the population of a country (US: 330M people, 0.1% would be 330,000 researchers) and give them a generous salary for life. Some of them will retire to the Caribbean. Most, I'd guess, would feel encouraged to work on more ambitious ideas.
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Re:Do we need a better understanding of 'progress'?
by adverbly on Saturday June 18, 2022 @09:09AM
(#31789504)
Interesting idea... what about something different than ubi? What if rather than being "generous", or only being given to 0.1%, it was given to anyone with a phd, but it was lower, and they need to clock in for 8 hrs to get it? As in physically leave their home and enter a place with other researchers for 8 hrs (idea factory basically).
This might ensure that only those who are passionate would take the opportunity, and that they could still do whatever they wanted once they did.
Obviously if you wanted to run an expensive experiment it would cost money and you'd need to fight for funding, but no more fighting for spots or fighting for your life or needing to justify everything to everyone else.
Re:Do we need a better understanding of 'progress'?
by seesaw on Saturday June 18, 2022 @02:00PM
(#31792200)
In a way some of the FANGs are doing just that. Hire best talent, and get them all under one roof, and hope they would come out with breakthrough products.
Re:Do we need a better understanding of 'progress'?
by creakingstairs on Saturday June 18, 2022 @08:45AM
(#31789324)
Who gets to choose the 0.1%? Clearly we need to establish some committees to pick those people, a board to oversee the process and admins to support the endeavour :p