Re: Things Formulaic


"Al" <almond@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:d5snfb$enm$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> As physicists only seem to be able to communicate in mathematical terms I
> thought you might be interested in this equation?
> N = N* fp ne fl fi fc fL It's the Drake equation and possibly the most
> discussed of recent times. Not one of the variables can be given a value.
> Even N* is uncertain as the number of stars in our galaxy is an estimate.
> I watched a TV program recently in which the progress of economists over the
> last few decades was discussed. They use similar formulas and all have
> failed, without exception. The question is, Why do they fail? The answer is
> that, contrary to scientific thought; there are some things in this world
> that do not lend themselves to scientific dismemberment or repeatability.
> This is an axiom. Until this is understood, science will continue to try to
> dehumanise the rest of us. The idea that only subjects that have been given
> the OK by science are acceptable is narrow minded and dishonest. For
> instance: The utterance that exceptional claims require exceptional evidence
> is only used in reference to no-scientific paradigm ideas.

You might have misunderstood this 'utterance'.
The requirement of exceptional evidence is not a moral one.
It is a *practical* requirement. If you come with an exceptional
claim, no one is going to listen unless you give evidence, so you
might just as well keep your claim for yourself if you haven't got
any evidence. That is practical. Furthermore, the fact that the
claim is *exceptional* almost automatically implies that the
evidence will be exceptional as well. Otherwise the claim would
not be *called* exceptional in the first place.

The number of stars in our Galaxy is an estimate, right. So what?
The probability of an airplane falling on your head when you leave
the door is an estimate as well. But you use it anyway when you
decide to go on the street.

Dirk Vdm


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