The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge An Essay by Abraham Flexner press.princeton.edu A curious factRoaming and capriciousUseFreedomThe Institute for Advanced Study+2 More The research agendaThe technology shelf knowledgelearningdiscoveryprogressexperiments
Devoid of ambition Miscellaneous handicrafts are devoid of ambition. Their purpose is to serve the needs of the people, not to achieve renown. Just as construction workers who have built a wonderful highway don’t sign their work, neither do artisans append their names to their ware. From beginning to end, without exception, such handicrafts are made by nameless craftsmen. It is this lack of desire for personal recognition that produces their flawless beauty. Yanagi Sōetsu, The Beauty of Miscellaneous Things Signing party ambition