Re: Good News for Big Bang theory


John (Liberty) Bell wrote:
george@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
rloldershaw@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
George Dishman wrote:
For recent specific predictions, note that the angular
power spectrum of the CMBR was predicted before WMAP
using GR both with a cosmological constant and without
but including quintessence instead as the nature of
dark energy. the subsequent results are a better fit to
the cosmological constant than quintessence so GR made
a prediction and passed the test.

This is mostly model-building, ...

Nope, the predictions were made before the results
were known, not fitted retrospectively. GR passed
the test, you have not yet even provided a prediction.

Hmm. Both the reintroduction of the cosmological constant and
quintessence were retrodictions after the fact of an astronomically
observed failure to decelerate in accordance with the predictions of
GR, if I understand correctly. If they are both 'fudges' in this
respect, you have a 50-50 chance of your preferred fudge giving a
better result than the other, just by pure chance. This can hardly be
claimed as a great success of the predictive power of GR with a CC,
given the associated disasters that preceded this, in relation to
predictions made involving prior assumptions about a CC.

Although I readily accept that we would not have got very far without
GR, this particular example of predictive power sounds a bit like
extolling the superior predictive power of a straight edge when
employed to extrapolate a graphical set of known points, over, say, a
French curve, or vice versa.

(Incidentally, [and slightly tongue in cheek in this respect], you may
have already noticed that the age of the universe you get via the
latest GR models with a CC, are remarkably similar to what you would
get from straight line extrapolation of Hubble's constant, using a
ruler.)

John


Very nicely put, my friend. So there are at least two of us. Shall we
call it a 'movement'?

I suspect there are many out there keeping a low profile because of the
intimidation tactics of the True Believers. For example, they almost
completely control most forums for presenting ideas, i.e., journals,
news reporting, conferences. But they don't control the web, do they.
There they must face us on a reasonably level playing field. I like
that very much.

Nice post!
Rob

.

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