Actually, I think the problem here is that he's reducing it to a cost-benefit analysis that applies to a single corporation alone. Corporations are notoriously short-sighted and generally unable to plan for or see into the future more than 1-3 financial quarters.
Facilitating investment in long-term things that benefit the country or humanity as a whole is literally one of the reasons we have governments. Putting men on the moon didn't make any profit, but a whole slew of discoveries and inventions that happened before that could happen definitely made improvements to everyone's lot.
Facilitating investment in long-term things that benefit the country or humanity as a whole is literally one of the reasons we have governments. Putting men on the moon didn't make any profit, but a whole slew of discoveries and inventions that happened before that could happen definitely made improvements to everyone's lot.