Re: Is it possible to be an important and influential amateur physicist?

In article <280620061822417639%phineaspuddleduck@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Phineas T Puddleduck <phineaspuddleduck@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
In article <%Myog.59$25.4867@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
<mmeron@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

It goes further than this. "Unable to find" seems to indicate that
they check for errors, just fail to find any. But as I can see they
don't check since the idea that they may be wrong just won't cross
their mind. They "know" that they're right:-)

They also refuse to demonstrate their results in proper conditions. Our
recent gravity and Bernoulli cranks wouldn't dare repeat their
"findings" in controlled conditions. On USENET, you can claim anything
is true. You can claim there is no such force as gravity, it is
invisible unicorns holding you down. When asked to provide evidence,
you either attack the establishment for the "Cult of Insane Science" as
Dennis B has, or claim you are being held back and your work
surpressed.

Sure, an easy copout and an alluring one. The belief (and I think
that for many of them this is a true belief, not posturing) that
they're being "persecuted by the establishment" elevates them, in
their own perception, from failures to martyrs.

Mati Meron | "When you argue with a fool,
meron@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | chances are he is doing just the same"
.