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The other physicists
The NPA's website tells us that the group is devoted "to broad-ranging, fully open-minded criticism, at the most fundamental levels, of the often irrational and unrealistic doctrines of modern physics and cosmology; and to the ultimate replacement of these doctrines by much sounder ideas".
Very little unites this disparate group of amateurs - there are as many theories as members - except for a common belief that "something is drastically wrong in contemporary physics and cosmology, and that a new spirit of open-mindedness is desperately needed". They are unanimous in the view that mainstream physics has been hijacked by a kind of priestly caste who speak a secret language - in other words, mathematics - that is incomprehensible to most human beings. They claim that the natural world speaks a language which all of us can, or should be able to, understand. Rather than having their dialogue with the world mediated by "experts", NPA members insist that they can commune with it directly and describe its patterns in accessible terms. Regardless of the credibility of this claim, it is sociologically significant. In their militantly egalitarian opposition to what they see as a physics elite, NPA members mirror the stance of Martin Luther and other pioneers of the Protestant Reformation. Luther was rebelling against the abstractions of the Latin-writing Catholic priesthood, and one of his most revolutionary moves was to translate the Bible into vernacular German. Just as Luther declared that all people could read the book of God for themselves, so the NPA today asserts that all of us ought to be able to read the book of nature for ourselves. Intriguingly more at: Outsider physicists and the oh-my-god particle - opinion - 24 December 2011 - New Scientist |
#2
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I read that piece this morning. Not sure if I agree that physics should use non-mathematical language accessible to the average person. Maybe some things can't be captured in everyday language.
__________________
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#3
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Quote:
- Peter.
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2021 Chevrolet Spark Formerly... 2000 GMC Sonoma 1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021 2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels 1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles. 1984 123 200 1979 116 280S 1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille 1971 108 280S |
#4
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I think the author's last comment is an important one.
Quote: While we may not agree with the answers outsiders give, none of us should be sanguine when some of the greatest fruits of science are unavailable to most of humankind. If science cannot be effectively communicated in the vernacular, then to believe scientists because they make some assertion or other without an intelligible vernacular explanation, is akin to faith. The new god and new priests. |
#5
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Same with the Latin issue. Education becomes more widely available if it's not conducted in a second language but it doesn't mean that faith is necessary, just other Latin speakers. There may be sociological consequences insofar as the kind of people skilled in advanced Math may share some characteristics not commonly found in the general population but I don't think that translates directly into the view that physics must always be explicible in the vernacular independent of Math.
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13 |
#6
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#7
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I will be happy to read their translation, as long as it's not written in Swahili.
They can translate...can't they???
__________________
On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST 1983 300SD - 305000 1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000 1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000 https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif |
#8
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This is the great value of using mathematics as the language of physical sciences. It makes communication among the cognoscenti of different natibe tongues much easier. But it makes communicating with lay people hugely difficult. The language divide builds suspicion or contempt, depending on which side of the barrier we find ourselves. The fundamental goal of scientific publication is to communicate findings. This is increasingly difficult as complexity increases and the incentives are few for a scientist to explain his work to a lay audience. Thus the priesthood grows. |
#9
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Quote:
The Servo Gods Have Heard Your Prayers:
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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST 1983 300SD - 305000 1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000 1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000 https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif |
#10
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Are we embarking on the ultimate "dumbing down" to the lowest common denominator?
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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags |
#11
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It is a bifurcation that has been going on ever since professional scientific and engineering journals began back in the 19th century.
Before that, researchers depended on personal correspondence and prided themselves on maintaining great lists of like-minded researchers to disseminate discoveries and news of other's. This was often rambling, lengthy letters with no standardization of format. However, because they were not succinct, they were highly readable. Gradually, professional journals came into being. At first they were often chatty and speculative. But as page costs increased, chattiness decreased. Also, readers wanted to get to the 'heart of the matter' and not be distracted by chatty speculation. Eventually the present-day, highly stylized journal articles arrived, only read by the most dedicated subscribers. Few lay people would be interested in taking the time to decipher the dry, often poorly written professional articles. But take heart, scientific publication is undergoing a revolution due to the internet. There is a growing movement of new pubs with very low, or no page costs. I have noted (especially in the natural history type stuff) an increase in descriptive text and an increase in general readability. May this trend continue,e xpand, and overtake the professional print journals! Plus, my cheapest print journal costs me $130/year. Tax deductible, but golly, how many can I subscribe to? 3. That's it for me. Wish I could take 2-3 more but a man's gotta eat. |
#12
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#13
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__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13 |
#14
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Quote:
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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags |
#15
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Im not sure why someones quality of life is jeopardized by the fact they do not understand the mathmatics of multiple dimensions or that a quark spins left or right. If they cant understand the math and they have an interest why not go to school and learn the math. to me its akin to ebonics........ they dont have to agree, but they do need to be able to communicate and provide proofs for ideas, they skoff at the elitist mathmaticians but likely their ideas will not stand up to scrutiny and they just think it is because they are outsiders
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