Q: What is the point of doing research?
A: Research has 3 primary goals.
- Create ideas that lead to a better universe.
- Expand the set of fundamental truths that humanity understands.
- Personally create some cool ideas, learn cool stuff, make a nice piece of art, and have a fun time doing it.
Some comments: (2) Is intrinsically worthwhile, not just a means to steering the universe; but of course it does sometimes help steer the universe too. Research which you donât personally find engaging â i.e., research lacking (3) â is unlikely to sustainably contribute to (1) or (2), at least for me. But itâs also worth noting that research satisfying (1) and (2) likely facilitate (3): if youâre working on important and interesting stuff then people will want to work with you and itâll encourage you to share your work etc.