I would like to develop a social support structure for the-kind-of-people-who’ve-read-the-Sequences to pursue certain kinds of research outside of (existing) academia
One problem with this approach is that the existing academia has access to all kinds of useful lab equipment, up to and including the Large Hadron Collider. It would be very difficult for a group of enthusiasts to acquire that kind of equipment; and, without it, it’s hard to do any truly revolutionary research.
Presumably the focus would be on areas, such as mathematics, that don’t require expensive equipment. That’s certainly my own interest, anyway.
By the way, I should point out that, although these projects would themselves be outside the academic system, the people pursuing them don’t necessarily need to be.
How do you see the common LW background helping such a group, vs just a group of mathematicians with the same background and credentials, but without any exposure to the Sequences?
One problem with this approach is that the existing academia has access to all kinds of useful lab equipment, up to and including the Large Hadron Collider. It would be very difficult for a group of enthusiasts to acquire that kind of equipment; and, without it, it’s hard to do any truly revolutionary research.
Presumably the focus would be on areas, such as mathematics, that don’t require expensive equipment. That’s certainly my own interest, anyway.
By the way, I should point out that, although these projects would themselves be outside the academic system, the people pursuing them don’t necessarily need to be.
How do you see the common LW background helping such a group, vs just a group of mathematicians with the same background and credentials, but without any exposure to the Sequences?