Want to Take On An Open/Unsolved Problem?

CexpTretical writes "The accumulation and focusing of knowledge may be the noblest use or purpose of the internet. There are plenty of open or unsolved problems left for this generation. Why not spend some of your time in the dark of this winter working on one of the big problems facing humanity? Open problems exists in almost every field of study. Wikipedia maintains a small list of them and at least one international group called the Union of International Associations maintains a database of open problems." Which problem do you want to see cracked first? Are you already working on one of these big issues?

Comments

One of the problems taken from wikipedia in econ.

[antifoidulus]

What is the proper size and scope of government? Where can government intervention improve on the market? Does a market failure necessarily mean that government intervention is warranted? Can intervention make things worse? If the government intervenes in a market, how should it intervene? To what extent is public ownership of assets and businesses warranted?

Yeah, good luck using the internet discussions to solve THAT problem.....

The ultimate problems?

[TinBromide]

What questions I'd like to see answered? Where do socks go in the laundry? Why do people obsess about the incongruities in gilligan's island? Why do good things happen to people who aren't me? 42. (now find me the question)

really?

[macadamia_harold]

The accumulation and focusing of knowledge may be the noblest use or purpose of the internet.

That's your opinion. Midget porn afficionados would beg to differ.

I read it on the internet

[macadamia_harold]

"What is the proper size and scope of government?" Yeah, good luck using the internet discussions to solve THAT problem.....

It does seem to be an out-of-control problem. According to wikipedia, the size and scope of the government has tripled in the last six months.

Re:How about somebody taking on the problem of ...

[UbuntuDupe]

Also, it should give the current "closest" solutions to the problems, i.e., "Person A found that you can solve B as long as you know how to do a C on D."

Btw, I never knew there was a "Union of International Associations". Talk about bureaucracy! My friends and I used to joke about an imaginary, incompetent organication called the "Federal International Comission" (FIC), but man, did we miss the gold mine!

I swear this is not my homework

[StikyPad]

Which problem do you want to see cracked first?

The factors for x^2 + 5x + 6 please, showing work.

Re:I swear this is not my homework

[Gabrill]

(x+2)(x+3) the work was done in my head. My teacher hated that.

Easy

[camperdave]

• What is the proper size and scope of government?
  No larger than necessary
  
• Where can government intervention improve on the market?
  In places where unrestricted market forces are detrimental
  
• Does a market failure necessarily mean that government intervention is warranted?
  No
  
• Can intervention make things worse?
  Yes
  
• If the government intervenes in a market, how should it intervene?
  In a way that maximizes overall social wellbeing
  
• To what extent is public ownership of assets and businesses warranted?
  To the extent that it ceases to be harmful to the overall health of society

oh, yeah, the Riemann hypothesis

[straponego]

I was going to do that this weekend, but, with one thing and another... Tell you what, remind me Friday.

They forgot one very very important problem needin

[3seas]

... to be solved....

How to make reliable electronic voting machines.