Attack the style rather than the content...a common tactic.

On Apr 9, 5:50 pm, Chuck Bowling <[email protected]>
wrote:
> You deflect a lot when you're on the defensive.
>
> On Sat, Apr 9, 2011 at 2:54 PM, ornamentalmind
> <[email protected]>wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > “The information you supplied doesn't support your claim. My
> > interpretation
> > of your statement is that we do not have the technological capability
> > to
> > place humans in habitats in space or on other planets for extended
> > periods
> > of time. …” – Chuck
>
> > Chuck, your interpretation is noted. Sadly, it isn’t what I said nor
> > claimed.  However, rather than continue to clarify what I said and
> > meant, I’ll just pass for now.
>
> > “…You did not specify the constraint that we be able to freely swim
> > through
> > space or walk around on a planet unprotected. …” – Chuck
>
> > Chuck, that is quite true. I did not specify nor even suggest those
> > notions. They are entirely yours.
>
> > “…We have already proved that we can put people in space for long
> > periods of
> > time. Putting humans on other planets is simply an extension of this
> > technology with the added benefit of gravity. …” – Chuck
>
> > Well, two comments here:
> > 1.      Your interpretation of ‘long periods of time’ is not the same as
> > mine in this context…as I’ve already addressed.
> > 2.      To blithely say your 2nd sentence above misses the entire point I
> > originally made or perhaps consciously ignores it. There is *nothing*
> > “simple” about it (even leaving economics aside…an issue we seem to
> > already agree upon) and the use of the notion of “an extension of”
> > does nothing but advance your argument to the future and ignore
> > reality as it is today..
>
> > Lest we forget the genesis of our discussion, I originally said:
> > “ …It is also known based on today's science that 'we' can't make it
> >  in outer space nor on most other planets. “ – OM
>
> > I stand by my words. Of course, you have interpreted them differently
> > than their original intention….so all bets on clear communication may
> > be off here.
>
> > “…If you had said "based on *today's economics*" I would agree with
> > this
> > statement. Again, the issue isn't science. It's economics. …” – Chuck
>
> > As already noted a couple of times, we seem to agree in principle
> > about the economics of the era. Perhaps we can drop it or bring it up
> > as a separate discussion? Where we differ is your assertion that today
> > we can live in outer space and/or on planets. I will assume that you
> > mean to include the time frame of ‘living in outer space’ as something
> > much more than just a few months and that living on other planets is
> > something demonstrably happening today. If so, I continue to disagree…
> > as I originally said.
>
> > “…The fact that something hasn't been done doesn't mean that it's not
> > possible
> > - just impractical. ..” – Chuck
>
> > Well, an interesting ontological issue, no? Regardless, I don’t
> > embrace such a belief structure.
>
> > “…If you insist on subjective measure then I guess I should point out
> > that the
> > ISS orbits the Earth every 90 minutes.  A 15 day trip would be 360
> > hours or
> > 21600 minutes. This means that they orbited the Earth 240 times for a
> > total
> > distance of 6 million miles. That is enough for 12 full round trips to
> > the
> > Moon and back….” – Chuck
>
> > If *I* insist on subjectivity???!!!! Not by a long shot…other than the
> > actual nature of words and concepts.
>
> > Perhaps we don’t actually disagree on the facts of the matter. Perhaps
> > it is but a semantics issue. Either way, I just don’t grok your above
> > commentary about 360 hrs…is it a failure to state?...an ambiguous
> > assertion?...or simply a red herring? What?
>
> > …and even though you suggest that the training involved in ‘tourism’
> > is off point…I maintain that it is another part of the issue involved…
> > and surely more important than 360 hours in space!.....let alone your
> > thesis that “…most Russians aren't crazy enough to throw away $25
> > million for a working vacation in space.”!!!!
>
> > Maybe all will be clearer if one adds the term "today" to the end of
> > my original point....maybe not.
>
> > On Apr 9, 6:59 am, Chuck Bowling <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
> > > On Sat, Apr 9, 2011 at 7:14 AM, ornamentalmind
> > > <[email protected]>wrote:
>
> > > > First Chuck, by leaving the “>” symbol at the head of a new post, some
> > > > of your ideas are not showing up on the web interface…a method many of
> > > > us use to access the group. I advise that when you reply to posts to
> > > > assure that your reply does not start out with the “>”
>
> > > I have tried to leave hard returns between message bodies and my replies.
> > It
> > > may be that I missed one.
>
> > > > Now some more responses to your rather tenacious posting style:
>
> > > > Yes, there are ‘countermeasures’ to what I’ve presented. (In fact,
> > > > there is an argument for the reverse of almost any argument, no?)
>
> > > > However, again, what you asked me to do was :”
> > > > “ …It is also known based on today's science that 'we' can't make it
> > > > in outer space nor on most other planets. “ - OM
> > > > “Can you provide some supporting information for this statement?... “
> > > > – Chuck
>
> > > > I provided “some supporting information for” the statement. You didn’t
> > > > ask to provide irrefutable information and, as I suggest, about any
> > > > claim can be refuted. As interesting as a back and forth … refuting
> > > > everything someone else has said can be, I’m not interested in such a
> > > > fundamentalist skeptic’s approach…FYI.
>
> > > The information you supplied doesn't support your claim. My
> > interpretation
> > > of your statement is that we do not have the technological capability to
> > > place humans in habitats in space or on other planets for extended
> > periods
> > > of time.
>
> > > You did not specify the constraint that we be able to freely swim through
> > > space or walk around on a planet unprotected.
>
> > > We have already proved that we can put people in space for long periods
> > of
> > > time. Putting humans on other planets is simply an extension of this
> > > technology with the added benefit of gravity.
>
> > > > You added that your ‘countermeasures’ “are within our technological
> > > > capability.
>
> > > > Well, if you mean that we are capable of doing things but haven’t yet
> > > > done them, then I stand by my perhaps not very well stated view that
> > > > “based on *today’s science*” we can’t make it….meaning that today we
> > > > can’t (read: do not) do these things *today*.
>
> > > If you had said "based on *today's economics*" I would agree with this
> > > statement. Again, the issue isn't science. It's economics.
>
> > > > Yes, shielding against cosmic radiation is possible…at least to some
> > > > degree. And, you do point out the issue of mass as well as the
> > > > possibility of digging in on other heavenly bodies. However, even
> > > > here, you support the view that we do not terraform nor do we live in
> > > > any type of habitat on another planet…at least not *today*… your
> > > > arguments to the future notwithstanding.
>
> > > > So, overall, until all of these projections into the future actually
> > > > take place, they remain fantasies. Period.
>
> > > The fact that something hasn't been done doesn't mean that it's not
> > possible
> > > - just impractical.
>
> > > > Now to your claim that:
>
> > > >  “We've already sent 'average' human beings on long orbits around the
> > > > earth. Do a google search on russian space tourists.” - Chuck
>
> > > > If you consider ‘long orbits’ to be 15 days, the longest time that a
> > > > known Russian tourist has been ‘up there’, fine. I don’t consider it
> > > > long at all considering the length of time necessary to travel to some
> > > > as yet untried ‘home’ planet.
>
> > > If you insist on subjective measure then I guess I should point out that
> > the
> > > ISS orbits the Earth every 90 minutes.  A 15 day trip would be 360 hours
> > or
> > > 21600 minutes. This means that they orbited the Earth 240 times for a
> > total
> > > distance of 6 million miles. That is enough for 12 full round trips to
> > the
> > > Moon and back.
>
> > > > Do note that even here they – the ‘tourists’ - are given rigorous
> > > > physical training:
> > > >http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/11/science/space/11space.html
>
> > > This is off point. Even aircraft passengers need training. If you've ever
> > > been on a passenger jet you'll know that the first thing that happens as
> > it
> > > taxi's onto the runway is that a stewardess stands up and explains the
> > > emergency procedures. On a space mission it's expected that the training
> > be
> > > significantly more extensive.
>
> > > > Oh, and it is interesting that the “Russian tourists”, a misnomer if
> > > > ever there was one, do not include one Russian!
> > > >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_tourism#List_of_flown_space_tourists
>
> > > Only because most Russians aren't crazy enough to throw away $25 million
> > for
> > > a working vacation in space.

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