Comments on: Wronger than Wrong

By: Guthrie Prentice

Guthrie Prentice — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:59:09 +0000

Oh, and if memory serves, weren’t there testable predictions which would have tested string theory from that model which said that the WMAP cold spot was evidence for a parallel universe?

By: Guthrie Prentice

Guthrie Prentice — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:58:01 +0000

Except that if memory serves, there are testable, falsifiable predictions for string theory. One example is testing currently being done to determine if the inverse square law holds true for gravity at sizes near the planck length (source: Physics of the Impossible by Dr. Michio Kaku).

By: Antonio Alas

Antonio Alas — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:35:17 +0000

Man can only know it’s physical limitations not intelligence.Who knows when the kingdom of God is really at hand we maybe camping in another galaxy.

By: kevinalexander

kevinalexander — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:14:07 +0000

I think that Ghandi said “It WOULD be a good idea” or maybe I’m misremembering. It’s not just the religious who try to improve the sayings of their heroes.

By: Becknerized

Becknerized — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:40:25 +0000

Another favorite taunt: Ghandi, when asked for his opinion about Western Civilization, replied, “I think it’s a good idea”.

By: Burt

Burt — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:59:50 +0000

Use of terms such as “wronger than wrong” communicates poorly because there is no clear precise meaning. Has the appearance of trying to be cutesy. An example of social control of “science”: some rocks in Anarctica are said to have come from Mars. This is good for NASA funding, but can’t be considered true science. Maybe the rocks are similar or identical to rocks on Mars, but all could have come from same source, such as asteroid belt. There’s no clear reason to believe those Anarctic rocks once rested on Mars and somehome moved to earth. Unless you’re working toward funding more Mars probes.

By: Don Powers

Don Powers — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:30:21 +0000

Many years ago a young scientist said that new theories would only be accepted when the old scientists died.

By: John

John — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:33:37 +0000

Well spoken, Micheal, you crystallized my opinion of the role of cultural influence in science.

When I was a grad student a mentor warned me that “People do science” so we cannot expect the system work flawlessly. Luckily, there is an anti-dote to the prejudices and fallacies of our generation … future generations.

By: JO 753

JO 753 — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:01:12 +0000

One of my favorite sayings sums this up nicely:

“Man’s gotta know his limitations.” – Dirty Harry

If we could know the limits of what we know – precisely seperating it from all that is only conjecture, assumption and extrapolation – we could then have a better chance of avoiding the long periods of flawed orthodoxy that define the eras of civilization.