- #1
Aufbauwerk 2045
A recent thread, which was quickly shut down, provided looking at the user agreement for PF as the final answer. The attitude is people who don't like PF and want to discuss their free energy solution or whatever can go elsewhere. Very true. I understand why people here may not want to spend time defending science against ongoing threats. Why belabor the obvious?
Of course there is currently no shortage of people who want to "improve" PF in a way that would turn it into another junk forum. Obviously I agree with the user agreement, or I would not be here.
I'm as busy as anyone, but I do want to take some time to mention a few points in defense of science against various threats. Unfortunately, these threats still exist, even in the USA and other developed nations of the free world.
One defense was already pointed out by another user. "They laughed at Galileo. They also laughed at the Three Stooges." That is a good response to the following fallacy. "They laughed at Galileo, and he was right. They laughed at my pet theory. Therefore, I am right." People who don't see the fallacy in this argument should learn some basic logic before they discuss science. At least find out about syllogisms and what constitutes a valid syllogism.
What is wrong with comparing Galileo's situation to that of certain pseudo-scientists today? Galileo was not a lone scientist going against the scientific mainstream. He was a scientist among non-scientists. He lived in an age when scientists who dared to follow the scientific method ran the risk of imprisonment, torture, and death, at the hands of religious authorities who also had political power. Galileo, in spite of recanting under threat of torture, was sentenced to house arrest. For years he could not even travel to see a physician to help with his medical problems. Of course he was no longer allowed to publish.
Today we have what some would call "establishment" theories which are based on the scientific method. We know this method works. Slowly but surely over the centuries, out knowledge has been increasing. Now we are in an age when that knowledge is increasing faster than ever before. If you want to challenge a generally accepted theory, go right ahead. You have that freedom in what we call the "free world." Unfortunately, not every nation is free. It's not only about religion. Think of Lysenko in the USSR and the persecution of biologists.
But the fact remains that in a free country you won't be hauled before an inquisition and threated with torture if you do not accept the Standard Model. On the other hand, if you want to challenge the Standard Model, you need to base your challenge on the scientific method. Otherwise, you are just wasting everyone's time. No one is going to take you seriously, and rightly so.
It would actually be going against science to allow someone to promote their opinions in a science forum when those opinions are based on violations of the scientific method. We don't want to turn the clock back to an age when science had to fight against ignorance. We don't want to accept any form of mysticism. So please leave us alone and go to some junk forum to spout your nonsense. Or better yet, if you really want to know the truth, learn physics and understand where the theories come from.
If you do become an expert and can in fact prove that a widely accepted theory is wrong, and you can present this in a way that shows you actually know what you are talking about, then you won't be thrown in a dungeon. On the contrary, you will become known all over the world as a great scientist.
P.S. I forgot something very important. Part of the scientific method is to publish your work in peer-reviewed journals. Even great scientists make mistakes. Publication in a good journal is necessary so the work can be reviewed by experts. This is why PF has its "gold standard" policy regarding journals.
Of course there is currently no shortage of people who want to "improve" PF in a way that would turn it into another junk forum. Obviously I agree with the user agreement, or I would not be here.
I'm as busy as anyone, but I do want to take some time to mention a few points in defense of science against various threats. Unfortunately, these threats still exist, even in the USA and other developed nations of the free world.
One defense was already pointed out by another user. "They laughed at Galileo. They also laughed at the Three Stooges." That is a good response to the following fallacy. "They laughed at Galileo, and he was right. They laughed at my pet theory. Therefore, I am right." People who don't see the fallacy in this argument should learn some basic logic before they discuss science. At least find out about syllogisms and what constitutes a valid syllogism.
What is wrong with comparing Galileo's situation to that of certain pseudo-scientists today? Galileo was not a lone scientist going against the scientific mainstream. He was a scientist among non-scientists. He lived in an age when scientists who dared to follow the scientific method ran the risk of imprisonment, torture, and death, at the hands of religious authorities who also had political power. Galileo, in spite of recanting under threat of torture, was sentenced to house arrest. For years he could not even travel to see a physician to help with his medical problems. Of course he was no longer allowed to publish.
Today we have what some would call "establishment" theories which are based on the scientific method. We know this method works. Slowly but surely over the centuries, out knowledge has been increasing. Now we are in an age when that knowledge is increasing faster than ever before. If you want to challenge a generally accepted theory, go right ahead. You have that freedom in what we call the "free world." Unfortunately, not every nation is free. It's not only about religion. Think of Lysenko in the USSR and the persecution of biologists.
But the fact remains that in a free country you won't be hauled before an inquisition and threated with torture if you do not accept the Standard Model. On the other hand, if you want to challenge the Standard Model, you need to base your challenge on the scientific method. Otherwise, you are just wasting everyone's time. No one is going to take you seriously, and rightly so.
It would actually be going against science to allow someone to promote their opinions in a science forum when those opinions are based on violations of the scientific method. We don't want to turn the clock back to an age when science had to fight against ignorance. We don't want to accept any form of mysticism. So please leave us alone and go to some junk forum to spout your nonsense. Or better yet, if you really want to know the truth, learn physics and understand where the theories come from.
If you do become an expert and can in fact prove that a widely accepted theory is wrong, and you can present this in a way that shows you actually know what you are talking about, then you won't be thrown in a dungeon. On the contrary, you will become known all over the world as a great scientist.
P.S. I forgot something very important. Part of the scientific method is to publish your work in peer-reviewed journals. Even great scientists make mistakes. Publication in a good journal is necessary so the work can be reviewed by experts. This is why PF has its "gold standard" policy regarding journals.
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