Physics&Math

Discussion in 'Site Feedback' started by QuarkHead, Dec 12, 2020.

  1. QuarkHead Remedial Math Student Valued Senior Member

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    I have been here long enough to be in the company of giants - those who knew their subject and were willing to share their knowledge.

    I recall particularly lethe, BenTheMan and AlphaNumeric, but there were many others.

    In those days it was a fun and educative subforum - I for one learned a lot from these guy's knowledge and kindness. And now what?

    A subforum dominated by the likes of arfa brane and Write4U, neither of whom understand anything in either physics or mathematics. Moreover, neither of these guys will countenance any correction or criticism - often their response to this is personal abuse.

    Shame, but I guess that is "evolution" of a forum?
     
    Michael 345, exchemist and Seattle like this.
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  3. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    I've sort of given up on many threads where it's just overrun with fanciful non-science/non-math. Overall, my participation has dropped dramatically.

    I feel like Clone Protocol 66 has been invoked, and it's time for all Jedi to retreat to their sanctuary until such time as order and science return to the land.
     
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  5. arfa brane call me arf Valued Senior Member

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    But you don't understand physics EITHER, so I don't really get what you're trying to say here. Usually, at least in my experience, people who feel the urge to condescend, point out errors, then trot out some formula as if it answers all the questions, is not generally a person who can teach anyone anything, at all. This is you, for instance. You condescend and quibble, but you don't explain a thing.

    Which is why I prefer to more or less ignore you. I think trying to get any ideas from you and people like you is a big waste of time.
    The good old days you seem to be crying about never really existed. There was a small group of fairly educated-looking posters here, but they probably decided to just get on with their lives.

    And yes, I agree that this site isn't very elucidating any more; then again if you weren't studying graduate level math, it wasn't back then EITHER.
     
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2020
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  7. paddoboy Valued Senior Member

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    Alpha Numeric, was da man!!
    Trippy was another.
     
  8. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    Yes it's fairly moribund, as are some other science forums too. We seem to have been left with a residue of old buffers with little knowledge and various sorts of obsessions. The two you mention are not the only ones.
     
  9. Curious layman Registered Member

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    42
    What happened, where did they all go?

    Was it due to the quality of questions being asked as people started to get their information from places like YouTube etc..., Or did the experts leave first?
     
  10. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    If those posters were actually asking questions instead of doubling down on their silly pet ideas in defiance of actual knowledge, then yes, this would be a very different place.
     
  11. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    It may be the preference nowadays is for such discussions to take place on social media rather than websites. I'm not on any social media so I don't know. The driver of interest was largely intelligent questions, often asked by students. If they go elsewhere, all we are left with is the people for whom the concrete set long ago: Write4U, Arfa brane, Nebel, poor Michael Anteski, etc. But there may be other theories. The science forum . net site still seems to be quite active, so not all of them are drying up.
     
  12. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    20,069
    Well, I'm happy to hear that hopeful news. Seems we are kinda stuck on the current track, which doesn't really lead anywhere, does it? ......

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  13. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    And if the posters only asked questions, would the answers based on current knowledge always be the same? And how would that advance knowledge? AFAIK, dogma always leads to stagnation.

    Religion is a perfect example. Ask a religious person anything about the universe and what do you get?

    Seems to me that positing new and perhaps controversial propositions, if based on some fundamental logical premise, should lead to spirited discussion and "who knows", maybe lead to a new perspective or interpretation of current knowledge?

    Was Newton's gravity debunked and rendered useless by Einstein's gravity?
    https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/57495/einstein-gravity-versus-newtons-gravity#

    Before Science became respectable, most scientific theories (by some of the greatest minds) were "discouraged" at one time or another. Even now very knowledgeable minds are being called crackpot. Penrose, (who just got another Nobel prize) is one of them. I call that outrageously prejudicial by "lesser" minds, who's beliefs are irrevocably cemented in concrete long ago.

    Why not consider the question or proposition on it's merits before dismissing it as not "mainstream" and therefore worthless?

    I dominate the conversation? Give me a break!
    Could it be that you have nothing interesting to offer?
     
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2020
  14. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    THAT IS A BLATANT LIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    You are a dishonest and duplicitous "me too" little person....bahhhh.

    I am a very courteous poster who has been subjected to an endless stream of ad hominem from people like you, as you have just so clearly demonstrated here!

    Post something worthwhile before you start complaining about posts by active participants in a variety of subjects. If you can't, stay under your rock, please.

    p.s. I make it a point to show a "like" when someone posts something new or of interest, just to let them know I appreciated the information or the argument.
     
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2020
  15. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    Well, well, quod erat demonstrandum. A perfect illustration of Quarkhead's point!

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    How very funny. But no doubt the irony will be quite lost on Write4U, because....................

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  16. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    No, the irony is not lost on me, especially when the ad hominem mentions me by name. But then it seems you are no longer able to tell the difference between scientific critique and personal ad hominem anymore. You have become expert in character assassination.
    Shall I count the number of times you have attacked my character without addressing the scientific content of my posts?

    You have NEVER scientifically and definitively falsified any of my posits. Without a persuasive counter-argument, there is no reason for me to change my perspective on a scientific theory or hypothesis, yet you persist in trying to degrade me. No QED there. All there is are meaningless nothings.
     
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2020
  17. dumbest man on earth Real Eyes Realize Real Lies Valued Senior Member

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    Grok'd.
     
  18. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    Perhaps it is due to the fact that a lot of information is now accessible over the internet and access to serious science no longer requires the personal presence of a "learned fellow".

    Personally I love to talk to an expert in his/her field, especially when they can direct me to pertinent articles or papers, saving a lot of time in having to research the entire internet for useful info.

    Question: Do you have access to lectures at Carnegie Academy of Science, or Royal Institute of Science, or MIT or NASA, or lectures from a host of other institutes of higher learning. And for more general scientific articles in various disciplines : Ted Talks and a host of serious scientific news sites?

    Can anyone tell me why a video of a lecture by a bona fide scientist offers less informational quality than traveling a few thousand miles to that institute of learning and sitting in that lecture hall?

    How about Science News magazines? Are you ready to subscribe to every one of them, or be able to occasionally watch or read about something that is of particular interest in some part of the world.

    Paper has become a precious resource. Like it or not, we live in an electronic age, trick is to use it judiciously!
    Many great science books are available for legal download to your own library as .pdf, saving lots of money.



    It's is a matter of discretion which sites to visit and IMO, anyone who is seriously interested (scientist or layman) in real science should be able to make some very basic decisions which sites offer content worth viewing.

    We don't avoid paper book libraries because they offer children's books or science fiction or religious books in addition to serious science. To indiscriminately dismiss the value of public access sites such as Youtube is a waste of otherwise inaccessible resources, IMO.
     
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2020
  19. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    Well, this grass does not grow to be walked on. My leaves have sharp edges.......

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  20. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    Want a free college course from MIT?

    Description

    https://www.youtube.com/mitocw

    And this resource should be ignored? Yes, by the ignorant......

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  21. river

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    True , but I would rather the Book . The Physical Book . If one can afford it .
     
  22. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    Paper is becoming a precious commodity. Trees are an ecological resource and sequester harmful CO2.

    Unless the book is made from hemp, which actually sequesters CO2 as it grows.
    Per year, 1 acre of Hemp sequesters as much CO2 as 20 acres of trees

    But reading tablets are becoming very popular. Not much different in size or text between a tablet and a book except in shelf-space......

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    Last edited: Dec 30, 2020
  23. river

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    Paper is recycled !!!
     

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