[cinquemb]

>How is letting scientists research subjects they're actually interested in, instead of seeking funding from industry any worse for the progress of science? Science research frequently has zero commercial application.

Let's ignore any influence industry already may exert on any grant funding.

Because in some fields, at best, industry is behind what's being worked on in academia. In the mid 60's when arpanet was being developed, I wonder what the industry/market would have been asking for instead? Probably some minor extension of something they already seen before…

Being beholden to industry can be a blessing for some (just like the grant hamster wheel is for others), but for others it could just be another set of relatively arbitrary constraints in the scheme of figuring out the theoretical.

Here's a list of research in mathematics that in some shape or form, was considered to have zero commercial application[0]. Im sure you can find analogues in many sectors.

[0] https://mathoverflow.net/questions/116627/useless-math-that-...,