If we come to general life, we find that most of the the research remains only on papers and in libraries and has no practical implications. Can it really be used in some way to make this world a better place?
Well first of all you have to ask how we know that the research remains in libraries and doesn't affect real life? Do we map the flow of knowledge accurately? Do we know how one idea leads to another? If other researchers cite us we might - but people who apply ideas in "real life" don't cite us. But that doesn't mean our research doesn't matter. Sometimes publishing a piece of research that is a technical correction of an error in the work of others may stop a stream of research impacting real life - negatively. We have had an impact on that life because it would otherwise be different - but it isn't obvious.
To begin with, we need to have a model of knowledge that is adequate for our purposes. Personally I use a model that distinguishes everyday or commonsense knowledge (which is concerned with rules of thumb, what we need to know to get by, shorthands etc) from applied knowledge that seeks to improve on everyday knowledge, refining it, questioning it, or applying scientific findings to it. Further, there is scientific or philosophical knowledge, knowledge for its own sake, that tells us what is possible. Some of this has obvious applications, some of it has to be developed in practical ways and applied. Sometimes everyday life can connect to scientific knowledge (as in anthropology, or epidemiology). Knowledge moves from one level to another by various means - networks, communication, public events etc. So just because a pubication is one output of a research stream, and bot many people read it doesn't mean that the research won't have influence. Other channels can be used. And if the research is done n partnership with an organization, social group et it may already have had impact - even before publication. So it all depends on how sophisticated the map of knowledge you have is, and the efforts that are put in to energise movement along the different routes on the the map.
Start reading ancient Greek philosophers. Everything they said back then applies to us today: How to behave, what to do, what to eat, how to think, etc will make better social life.
To me literature is for unification of the entire humanities for the overall development of social surrounding. The area of literature is very wide without any hyperbole it can be tuned with human beings & the entire universal .
Any individual with an inclination ,interest & involvement in the literature such individual are an assets of the society & they spread the fragrance which may keep the atmosphere & environment calm & quiet for the welfare of human beings .
This is my personal opinion
I m really thankful to all of you who have spared time and given importance to literature which I think may lose its significance in near future with science gaining more importance, if not taken care of.
And thanks a lot Mr. Harshvardhan. I wish you same.
Before I did my Phd dissertation I did a literature dissertation in French, an antology of poems of Victor Hugo, taken from his book of pomes "Les Contenplations", as an "avant la lettre" surrealist poet.
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