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Is applied research done everyday for the purpose of increasing our knowledge?

1) True
2) False

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Applied research aims to solve practical problems, not primarily to increase knowledge which is the goal of basic research; this makes the statement false. The contributions of basic research are crucial for the foundation upon which applied research builds its practical solutions.

Step-by-step explanation:

Applied research is conducted with the primary goal of solving practical problems and not necessarily for the purpose of increasing our knowledge, which is the main goal of basic research. Therefore, it is false to say that applied research is done everyday for the purpose of increasing our knowledge; it's done to find solutions to real-world issues, often using the knowledge gained from basic research.

While applied research may indirectly contribute to knowledge, its primary focus is on practical application. For example, developing a new medical treatment based on the understanding of a disease mechanism would be applied research, as the end goal is to solve a specific health problem. In contrast, studying the disease mechanism itself without regard to a particular treatment would be considered basic research.

Both basic and applied research are essential to the advancement of science. Applied research often relies on the results generated through basic research; without the fundamental understandings provided by basic science, practical solutions would be more difficult to find. The history of science has shown that basic research can lead to unexpected breakthroughs with significant practical applications.

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