[chii]

Why not both? Why not cure cancer and also ask for payment for doing so?

[eecc]

Because no great scientists ever discovered anything for the purpose of getting paid.

No leap in progress or historical achievement was ever driven by personal profit. Ever. Let that sink in.

[Waterluvian]

Weren't Edison and Tesla in it for the money? Betting thousands more too.

[bryanrasmussen]

Was Edison a great scientist? Not sure if Tesla was wholly in it for the money, if so he sure made some missteps in getting paid.

[Waterluvian]

I don't want to get into a discussion on the semantics of scientist vs. engineer vs. inventor or what defines greatness. My point is that parent comment spoke very conclusively that leaps of progress are NEVER because of monetary gain and that's trivially refutable.

[bryanrasmussen]

fair enough.

[DonHopkins]

The electrocuting dogs and cats stuff seemed pretty personal to me.