Comments on: Science is not math http://blog.dotphys.net/2009/05/science-is-not-math/ Physics and Stuff Sun, 10 Jan 2010 14:23:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Victor http://blog.dotphys.net/2009/05/science-is-not-math/comment-page-1/#comment-2337 Victor Mon, 11 May 2009 22:25:05 +0000 http://blog.dotphys.net/2009/05/science-is-not-math/#comment-2337 <p>I think science is the act of trying to understand, using logical arguments and experiments, isn't it? All the other stuff like faith are not science. The untesteable outputs (like string theory) are just rational hypothesis (well, sometimes "almost-rational" hypothesis). When a scientist has an idea of how test it, then becomes science.</p> I think science is the act of trying to understand, using logical arguments and experiments, isn’t it? All the other stuff like faith are not science. The untesteable outputs (like string theory) are just rational hypothesis (well, sometimes “almost-rational” hypothesis). When a scientist has an idea of how test it, then becomes science.

]]> By: Uncle Al http://blog.dotphys.net/2009/05/science-is-not-math/comment-page-1/#comment-2321 Uncle Al Wed, 06 May 2009 20:04:09 +0000 http://blog.dotphys.net/2009/05/science-is-not-math/#comment-2321 <p>Mathematics is self-consistent and survives abstract proof. Science is self-consistent plus survives empirical falsification. Everything else interpolates, curve-fits, or simply babbles, then screams "heteroskedasticity!" or "test of faith!".</p> <p>Things stink when a model offers limitless untestable outputs (string theory) or it is buttered toast with jam yesterday and tomorrow but only dry stale bread today (religion). Things stink when exotic untestable extrapolations (Standard Model extensions) crowd out testable alternatives (Equivalence Principle parity violation by chemically identical, opposite parity atomic mass distributions - crystals in space groups P3(1)21/P3(2)21 or P3(1)/P3(2)).</p> <p>Texas recently declared by committee majority vote that the entire universe is a biblical 6000 years old. One presumes Andromeda's ballot was rejected along with those of cosmic background radiation (fluctuations); mica decay halos, C-14 in any oil well or coal seam, Oklo, Gabon; tholeiite basalts of the New Jersey Palisades and Staffa, Scotland; magnetic banding of the Pacific Ocean floor. Tests of faith.</p> Mathematics is self-consistent and survives abstract proof. Science is self-consistent plus survives empirical falsification. Everything else interpolates, curve-fits, or simply babbles, then screams “heteroskedasticity!” or “test of faith!”.

Things stink when a model offers limitless untestable outputs (string theory) or it is buttered toast with jam yesterday and tomorrow but only dry stale bread today (religion). Things stink when exotic untestable extrapolations (Standard Model extensions) crowd out testable alternatives (Equivalence Principle parity violation by chemically identical, opposite parity atomic mass distributions – crystals in space groups P3(1)21/P3(2)21 or P3(1)/P3(2)).

Texas recently declared by committee majority vote that the entire universe is a biblical 6000 years old. One presumes Andromeda’s ballot was rejected along with those of cosmic background radiation (fluctuations); mica decay halos, C-14 in any oil well or coal seam, Oklo, Gabon; tholeiite basalts of the New Jersey Palisades and Staffa, Scotland; magnetic banding of the Pacific Ocean floor. Tests of faith.

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