Andrew PerforsJan 7, 2023

How to slow down scientific progress

"Leo Szilard—the physicist who first conceived of the nuclear chain reaction and who urged the US to undertake the Manhattan Project—also wrote fiction. His book of short stories, The Voice of the Dolphins, contains a story “The Mark Gable Foundation,” dated 1948."

You can see the full thing at this link, but I've also taken a screenshot of an excerpt. 😬 🤔 😢

https://rootsofprogress.org/szilard-on-slowing-science

How to slow down scientific progress, according to Leo Szilard

“Science would become something like a parlor game. There would be fashions. Those who followed the fashion would get grants”

The Roots of Progress
Show threadSchrödinger's PratJan 7, 2023
@AndyPerfors That's only the 9th wildest bit in that story: https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb33804055
Mark Gable Foundation

Item from the Leo Szilard Papers collection

UC San Diego Library | Digital Collections
Show threadAndrew PerforsJan 8, 2023
@Rhodium103 Oooh, thanks for this link! You are right. This is insane.
Show threadA.C. Tupper
@AndyPerfors @Rhodium103 It's like a pop-up book of wild ideas. Turn the page and another one springs up!
Jan 9, 2023 at 11:46pmWeb
Show threadCarl T. BergstromJan 10, 2023

@ACTupper @AndyPerfors @Rhodium103

I'd read the excerpt but I'd never read the story.

I'm legit tripping balls here. It's amazing.

Show threadAndrew PerforsJan 10, 2023
@ct_bergstrom @ACTupper @Rhodium103 It's like he threw every random idea he had into one story at once :)