tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055612246610286525.post3709826175431939823..comments2024-03-01T08:23:13.398+00:00Comments on The Fictional Aether: One hundred revolutionsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055612246610286525.post-64827933398156144772015-01-14T09:20:57.203+00:002015-01-14T09:20:57.203+00:00As for my "interesting question mark": I...As for my "interesting question mark": I have no idea if the public understands the philosophy of science, because I don't understood it myself. Unless, of course, I am mistaken.Mark Hannamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06011146336221492349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055612246610286525.post-28462562518849025282015-01-14T09:17:01.909+00:002015-01-14T09:17:01.909+00:00Don't worry about the astronomy terms -- if yo...Don't worry about the astronomy terms -- if you get a bout of the virial theorem in your Roche lobe, you'll know about it! Mark Hannamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06011146336221492349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055612246610286525.post-28042205934344926202015-01-14T06:11:20.006+00:002015-01-14T06:11:20.006+00:00That's an interesting question Mark. Astronomy...That's an interesting question Mark. Astronomy has always been a canonical example in discussions of philosophy of science. I'd be curious to know how implications of Hanam et al's "Futility Theory" pan out for that case :)<br />My personal experience tells me not to hope for simple answers in philosophy of science though; simple answers in popular readings of philosophy of science can be more deceptive than their counterparts in popular science.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055612246610286525.post-58610070883837602982015-01-13T09:48:38.258+00:002015-01-13T09:48:38.258+00:00Well, it's easy to wow people with pictures of...Well, it's easy to wow people with pictures of the crab nebula or talk about turning into spaghetti as you fall into a black hole. But how many people who are (rightly) awed by astronomy know their Roche lobe from their Virial Theorem?Arbuthnotnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055612246610286525.post-20189270372985737922015-01-11T15:36:22.146+00:002015-01-11T15:36:22.146+00:00Interesting comment from someone who's most fa...Interesting comment from someone who's most famous for popularising science. Most of the same applies for Astronomy. Is Astronomy easy to understand, or just easier to *think* you understand?Mark Hannamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06011146336221492349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055612246610286525.post-6578780764279308792015-01-10T19:40:55.368+00:002015-01-10T19:40:55.368+00:00The part on "simple terms" and "a F...The part on "simple terms" and "a Feynman quote" reminded me of some lines in the preface of Aaronson's Quantum Computing Since Democritus:<br /><br />"[From] Carl Sagan, in The Demon-Haunted World:<br /><br />Imagine you seriously want to understand what quantum mechanics is about. There is a mathematical underpinning that you must first acquire, mastery of each mathematical subdiscipline leading you to the threshold of the next. In turn you must learn arithmetic, Euclidean geometry, high school algebra, differential and integral calculus, ordinary and partial differential equations, vector calculus, certain special functions of mathematical physics, matrix algebra, and group theory...The job of the popularizer of science, trying to get across some idea of quantum mechanics to a general audience that has not gone through these initiation rites, is daunting. Indeed, there are no successful popularizations of quantum mechanics in my opinion – partly for this reason. These mathematical complexities are compounded by the fact that quantum theory is so resolutely counterintuitive. Common sense is almost useless in approaching it. It's no good, Richard Feynman once said, asking why it is that way. No one knows why it is that way. That's just the way it is (p. 249)."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055612246610286525.post-88579739783322776902015-01-08T12:24:44.275+00:002015-01-08T12:24:44.275+00:00I trust that you have alerted the media. You have ...I trust that you have alerted the media. You have 11.5 months left. Mark Hannamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06011146336221492349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055612246610286525.post-34393558721686113542015-01-07T20:24:57.650+00:002015-01-07T20:24:57.650+00:00Ooh, that's me! I've calculated a Christof...Ooh, that's me! I've calculated a Christoffel symbol. I've calculated at least two Christoffel symbols. <br /><br />Wait...how many are there? I think I've calculated them all. Yes, I've calculated every Christoffel symbol.<br /><br />Einstein's triumph is mine!M. Ruprighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16407460612728477237noreply@blogger.com