On Thu, Mar 7, 2013 at 12:16 PM, Jones Beene <[email protected]> wrote: > Well that is Feynman's version. It is in conflict with neutral eyewitness > testimony. > > RF had every incentive to spin it that way - even when he wasn't joking <g> > but there is no doubt that CalTech settled for a large cash sum over his > actions. Feynman's supporters will rationalize that settlement as being a > prudent way to avoid a bad image. Who do you believe?
I think Feynman was certain a-priori that the Papp engine was a hoax. However, I think he acknowledges the possibility from his own description of the event that he might bear some responsibility for the accident, but only because he did not know how the engine operated safely as a hoax. > > Mallove reported the plug incident differently in IE, if I remember > correctly. There was an eyewitness account that implicated RF but the most > damaging thing is that RF was apparently under restraining order NOT TO > ATTEND, due to his past conflicts with Papp (aka harassment). That alone > would have sustained a reckless manslaughter charge had CalTech not settled. I didn't know Richard Feynman was under a restraining order. RF's faith in the laws of physics must have embolden him to engage in such harassement. > Regardless of where fault lies - there is a prevalent kind of > anti-establishment, anti-intellectual sentiment which is also what Rohner > has played-on to raise funds. > > Now let me say that I am a big admirer of RF and also believe that the > chances are good that Papp too was a scammer, since like Rossi, he had a > history of legal problems (the 300 mph submarine). But I do think that RF > probably "pulled the plug" on his own initiative and was partly responsible > for the fatality. > > The saddest thing of all - for society - would be the off-chance (I'd put it > at 30/70) that Papp did find a way to convert the energy of radium to torque > in a way that avoided thermodynamic issues > > We may never know, since radium is heavily controlled and the Big Labs, and > certainly CalTech would start no project that has the side-effect of further > impugning RFs reputation, even if society could benefit. I would say Feynman met his nemesis. harry
