Alain, theory is not the trap. Arrogance is the trap. Theory has
always been with us because that is how all observation is related to
all other observations. Even Faraday believed a theory about what he
observed. However, he was not as arrogant as are modern physicist.
Modern physicists are taught they can explain anything and that
physics is the highest science with the ability to judge all other
sciences. This arrogance causes them to reject any idea or approach
that was not originated by one of their kind using the language of
physics, which is mathematics. They believe that mathematics is a
mirror of reality and can describe any behavior, generally without
having to go back to Nature for confirmation. Imagine the hubris a
claim to find a theory of everything represents. NO, theory is not
the problem. The belief that a particular approach to science can
explain everything is the problem.
Ed
On Jul 1, 2013, at 2:16 PM, Alain Sepeda wrote:
"If cold fusion had been discovered in 1900 they would have worked
on it like any other new discovery and probably figured it out about
as quickly as they elucidated fission."
true !
in 1900 physics was not in "normal science" mode but in "early
stage"...
see how Sternglass discovery was accepted by einstein, yet ignored
later...
it would have been even more easy at the faraday time.
theory is a trap.
2013/7/1 Jed Rothwell <[email protected]>
Peter Gluck <[email protected]> wrote:
. . . LENR surprises
were and are much too unexpected- see a theory of Surprise
on the Web
I think Alain meant there was nothing surprising about the reaction
to cold fusion. The spiteful rejection, that is. Martin Fleischmann
expected this. I think Pons was surprised by it, or at least, by the
intensity of it.
Technically it was surprising. Perhaps it was the most surprising
discovery in the history of technology. I guess radium and
radioactivity were about as surprising, but cold fusion was
discovered after people thought they understood nuclear reactions in
detail. It turns out they don't understand them.
If cold fusion had been discovered in 1900 they would have worked on
it like any other new discovery and probably figured it out about as
quickly as they elucidated fission.
- Jed
