On Fri, Dec 16, 2011 at 1:51 AM, Mary Yugo <maryyu...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > On Thu, Dec 15, 2011 at 9:45 PM, Harry Veeder <hveeder...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> MY wrote: >> >> >> >I know of no properly demonstrated violation of Lenz law. Such a >> > violation would also violate COE and >Newton 3. That's rather unlikely, at >> > least on any macro scale for any appreciable time period -- or the >> > >universe >> > would not be the way we see it. >> >> Are you trying to convince me or yourself that the set of axioms known >> as the laws of physics apply to everything that has happened or will >> ever happen? > > > I am trying to convince you that new discoveries rarely if ever change > current physical laws for the regimes of size, velocity, etc. in which they > have been developed. For example, Newton's Laws of motion are just as good > as ever as long as you don't move very extremely fast in which case > Einstein's discoveries and deductions begin to apply. Or if you get very > very small, quantum physics laws become more accurate than Newton's. That's > what I meant. > > COE is fundamental to the way the universe looks and works and I don't think > it will ever be "overthrown". You may discover new sources of energy > analogous to the discovery of radioactivity, and perhaps new possibilities > for converting it but I don't think you will overthrow COE for the known > universe. >
I am familiar with this view of physics. I was taught it and accepted it like most students. However, over the last decade I have gradually become unconvinced of this vision through my own historical research and reflection. I have learned that the conviction that quantities like momentum and energy are conserved was inspired by the theological musings of Descartes and Joule. They posited a Creator who made the universe work according to their own beliefs and values. The conservation laws aren`t really tautological, as Peter Hecket has opinoined, but they are self affirming. It is not my ambition to "overthrow" CoE. I have come to realize that the principle is important for the design, construction and operation of measuring instruments, but creation is greater than the theological conceits of Descartes and Joules so everything that transpires need not obey CoE. BTW I haven`t found an explicit objection to the creation of energy in Joule`s writing. He writes that energy must be conserved to avoid the destruction of energy because the destruction of energy was implied in Carnot theory of heat engines. He insisted that only God had the capacity to destroy energy. Have a nice day. Harry
