New Member

[loeve]

How did you find PF?

Via Google search.

Hi

I'm 50 years on from certain scientific questions running through my head as a child, and hopefully can now contribute something useful to the discussions.

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to PF.

 

[loeve]

Thank you berkeman.

I'm not yet fully back up to speed with all the terminology as my college days were long ago, so apologies in advance if I trip up now and again.

 

[loeve]

Welcome to PF.

Hi berkeman, I think I've put my foot in it already, so I best start a new thread.

Please could you point me in the direction of where I should post a question about the difference between natural and artificial. It's a general scientific question, one I had from as young an age as I can remember, so thinking it would be a fairly broad and relaxed forum area that is best?

 

[berkeman]

Please could you point me in the direction of where I should post a question about the difference between natural and artificial.

If you mean foods or medications or similar, probably the Biology forum would be best. If you mean fabrics or building materials, either the Materials Science or Mechanical Engineering forum may be best. Can you give an example of what you want to ask about to help me suggest the best forum?

And remember when starting a new thread to always include links to the reading you've been doing when trying to answer your question. That helps us to understand your background and current level of understanding. Thanks.

 

[loeve]

If you mean foods or medications or similar, probably the Biology forum would be best. If you mean fabrics or building materials, either the Materials Science or Mechanical Engineering forum may be best. Can you give an example of what you want to ask about to help me suggest the best forum?

And remember when starting a new thread to always include links to the reading you've been doing when trying to answer your question. That helps us to understand your background and current level of understanding. Thanks.

It's a physics question, but crosses over many areas, that's why I'm having difficulty knowing where to start it.

Feynman wrote "Each piece, or part, of the whole of nature is always merely an approximation to the complete truth, or the complete truth so far as we know it. In fact, everything we know is only some kind of approximation, because we know that we do not know all the laws as yet. Therefore, things must be learned only to be unlearned again or, more likely, to be corrected." (Six Easy Pieces, page 2)

Relating to science generally, I'm interested in constants. For example, pi is derived from a circle, which is what I would call an artificial construct. In that in nature we are seeking to understand a natural construct, whatever it be, I think it is important to investigate the difference between a natural construct and an artificial construct (ie dimensionality).

Hope this helps to point me in the right direction. If however you feel this is too generic a question then I'm happy to depart, just say the word.

 

[berkeman]

I'll contact you via Personal Message (PM) to get more clarification.

 

[renormalize]

Relating to science generally, I'm interested in constants. For example, pi is derived from a circle, which is what I would call an artificial construct. In that in nature we are seeking to understand a natural construct, whatever it be, I think it is important to investigate the difference between a natural construct and an artificial construct (ie dimensionality).

You've declared the constant $\pi$ to be an "artificial construct" because it is "derived from a circle". Please cite an example of a constant that you would call a "natural construct".

 

[berkeman]

Since I'm in a PM conversation with this new user, I'll go ahead and close this Intro thread.