science
2010-02-23
A hierarchy of science
Reported today by FreeBSD's ''fortune'' program:
Psychologists think they're experimental psychologists.
Experimental psychologists think they're biologists.
Biologists think they're biochemists.
Biochemists think they're chemists.
Chemists think they're physical chemists.
Physical chemists think they're physicists.
Physicists think they're theoretical physicists.
Theoretical physicists think they're mathematicians.
Mathematicians think they're metamathematicians.
Metamathematicians think they're philosophers.
Philosophers think they're gods.
The place for computer science? This needs an extension:
- computer scientists think they're logicians;
- logicians think they're metamathematicians;
- back to the list above.
2009-12-21
Science statements on “climate change”
Recently: http://www.gilestro.tk/2009/lots-of-smoke-hardly-any-gun-do-climatologists-falsify-data/.
Simultaneously, found on the Independer:
Climate models, which is what the "scientists" use cannot produce evidence. They give a large number of "what if" scenarios. Picking one of these because it fits with the political message is snake-oil selling; not science.
Go check the meaning of "chaotic" in the mathematical sense. A dynamic, complex, chaotic system - Earth's climate - cannot be predicted with any certainty, because each element can undergo a small variation which can have a large effect on the whole. This means there are an infinite number of possible outcomes, none of which are any more certain than any other.
Further, climate models exclude two of the most important climate factors - behaviour of oceans and clouds - because computers lack the power to make the necessary calculations.
It is not possible to predict climate with any certainty at any point in the future.
To say scientists have produced evidence of what a 2C - or any other value - will do to the Earth's climate is nonsense.
The models are programmed with the assumption that CO2 can only have a strong positive forcing effect; which is not supported in the peer reviewed scientific literature.
The result of computer models which rely on an assumption cannot be used to prove that assumption.
In any case observation over the past 11 years shows the Earth's climate is not warming by the 0.2C per decade predicted by the IPCC - in fact it is cooling.
If you are interested in fact rather than fiction go here: http://rankexploits.com/musings/2009/hadley-november/
2008-02-14
A gentle introduction to Gödel's theorem
David Morgan-Mar, author of Irregular Webcomic, performs a feat of pedagogy with his presentation of Gödel's theorem
... as an annotation in issue #1845 of Irregular WebComic!.
As a fan of Hofstadter I recognize that this explanation work is truly a mastery of pedagogy. It introduces Gödel's theorem and its impact smoothly and clearly, making it understandable to anyone with a basic understanding of science.
Instead of watching Discovery Channel, read the Irregular WebComic!