"The Dukes of Hanover thought they knew what Leibniz should be doing with his time: working on their family history. Too often today, those who provide scientists with the resources for their lives and work try to steer them in directions most likely to provide quick results. This is not only futile in the short run, but more importantly, by discouraging investigations with no obvious immediate payoff, it shortchanges the future."

From Engines of Logic by Martin Davis Norton, 2001