Changes

== The State Science Institute ==

== The State Science Institute ==

As those extraordinary three students prepared to graduate, the [[United States Congress]] began its debate on the establishment of a government-funded institute dedicated to the sciences. Dr. Stadler, now at age 40, saw this as a unique opportunity. Like virtually anyone working in "pure" or "abstract" science (as distinct from [[engineering]], often called "applied" science), Dr. Stadler always felt limited in the amount of private grant moneys that he could attract. A stable source of grant money definitely had its appeal.

As those extraordinary three students prepared to graduate, the [[United States Congress]] began its debate on the establishment of a government-funded institute dedicated to the sciences. Dr. Stadler, now at age 40, saw this as a unique opportunity. Like virtually anyone working in "pure" or "abstract" science (as distinct from [[engineering]], often called "applied" science), Dr. Stadler always felt limited in the amount of private grant moneys that he could attract. A stable source of grant money definitely had its appeal. But more than that, Stadler saw his chance to achieve that which he never admitted to himself that he wanted: a temple to himself. (See below.) The Chairmanship in Physics at Patrick Henry University was not enough, and never was.

Furthermore, an institution devoted to the pure sciences seemed to Stadler the most noble possible use of public money. But what drove Stadler even more than this consideration was his confirmed opinion that the "pure" sciences were "pure" precisely because they had no immediate commercial application. Engineering was "dirty" and mundane. More than that, engineers had to deal with people—and Robert Stadler hated people. To him, only himself, or members of his staff, were "real."

Furthermore, an institution devoted to the pure sciences seemed to Stadler the most noble possible use of public money. But what drove Stadler even more than this consideration was his confirmed opinion that the "pure" sciences were "pure" precisely because they had no immediate commercial application. Engineering was "dirty" and mundane. More than that, engineers had to deal with people—and Robert Stadler hated people. To him, only himself, or members of his staff, were "real."

Stadler was devastated at losing John Galt's friendship. (If Francisco d'Anconia or Ragnar Danneskjold said anything to him on the subject, they never discussed that with any other character, including Hugh Akston.) But then again, Stadler never understood any of his three students half as well as he thought he did. In them, he saw himself at their ages. But those three did not share his rage and hostility against the world, nor his monumental contempt for humanity. He thought he had found three acolytes for what he really sought to establish: a cult of hero worship with himself as the focus. Those three were never interested in that, nor did they even conceive of such a thing, much less that this was Robert Stadler's driving motive.

Stadler was devastated at losing John Galt's friendship. (If Francisco d'Anconia or Ragnar Danneskjold said anything to him on the subject, they never discussed that with any other character, including Hugh Akston.) But then again, Stadler never understood any of his three students half as well as he thought he did. In them, he saw himself at their ages. But those three did not share his rage and hostility against the world, nor his monumental contempt for humanity. He thought he had found three acolytes for what he really sought to establish: a cult of hero worship with himself as the focus. Those three were never interested in that, nor did they even conceive of such a thing, much less that this was Robert Stadler's driving motive.

The proof of this motive takes the form of the headquarters of the [[State Science Institute]]. An isolated structure, with white marble Greek-revival-style elevations, on a campus laid out as a park, with the rooftops of Lyme, [[New Hampshire]] visible at a distance—such was the Temple of Robert Stadler, though he never admitted that to anyone, even himself.

 

The proof of Robert Stadler's motive and desire takes the form of the headquarters of the [[State Science Institute]]. An isolated structure, with white marble Greek-revival-style elevations, on a campus laid out as a park, with the rooftops of Lyme, [[New Hampshire]] visible at a distance—such was the Temple of Robert Stadler. Inside was the ''very'' modest office that Stadler kept: a window overlooking the [[Connecticut River]], a single desk of very cheap wood, a filing cabinet, two barely comfortable chairs, and a chalkboard. Such was his [[monk]]'s cell, and even [[Dagny Taggart]], when she visited him, never understood its real meaning.

== Stadler follows his three students ==

== Stadler follows his three students ==