Cynthia: Corporations amply fund research that generates marketable new technologies. But the fundamental goal of science is to achieve a comprehensive knowledge of the workings of the universe. The government should help fund those basic scientific research projects that seek to further our theoretical knowledge of nature. Luis: The basic goal of government support of scientific research is to generate technological advances that will benefit society as a whole. So only research that is expected to yield practical applications in fields such as agriculture and medicine ought to be funded.
Question: Cynthia’s and Luis’s statements provide the most support for the contention that they would disagree with each other about the truth of which one of the following statements?
Options:
A. The government should help fund pure theoretical research because such research might have unforeseen practical applications in fields such as agriculture and medicine.
B. A proposed study of the effects of chemical fertilizers on crops, for the purpose of developing more-resistant and higher-yielding breeds, should not receive government funding.
C. Although some research projects in theoretical science yield practical benefits, most do not, and so no research projects in theoretical science should be funded by the government.
D. Research for the sole purpose of developing new technologies ought to be financed exclusively by corporations.
E. Knowledge gained through basic scientific research need not be expected to lead to new and useful technologies in order for the research to merit government funding.
Answer: E