But that straightforward picture bears little resemblance to the complexities of real scientific activity: if applied science involved nothing more than the application of the results of pure science, there would be no need for “research and development” departments in manufacturing corporations, or research laboratories at chemical or electronics companies. The instrumental achievements of science would depend solely on the scraps falling from the pure scientist’s table.
但这种直截了当的描述并不能表现出实际科学活动的复杂性：如果应用科学仅限于把纯科学的成果付诸应用，那么制造企业就没有必要设立“研究与发展部”，化工或电子企业也没有必要设立科研实验室。科学的实用成就将完全取决于从纯科学家桌上漏下的碎屑。