Comments on: It’s the end of the world! Maybe. http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/ Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:08:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: ingeborg houwen http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4787 ingeborg houwen Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:26:49 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4787 PS.About this moral grammar of mine in here. The pattern of thought was caused by seeing something like the new Schröders Cat, that day. Except that it was Jeannets Foot run over by a bus. PS.About this moral grammar of mine in here. The pattern of thought was caused by seeing something like the new Schröders Cat, that day. Except that it was Jeannets Foot run over by a bus.

]]> By: ingeborg houwen http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4308 ingeborg houwen Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:01:12 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4308 Exact men should dare to be exact. Play or tongue in cheek should be forbidden for calculators like city planners. When a new industrial idea comes into his software, that 'a car for everyone is democratic' or 'the internet of things will connect everything', the non linguistic consequencies must be included in its presentation. Otherwise technology insults itself. It is amazing how intelligence evaporates in converging media, especially in Holland. Sure its super nice to pick up each others feel for culture. Im sure Einstein in terms of communication would encourage the blog. But what is so difficult about pointing out in which dimension a new id is saying what, exactly ? ingeborg Exact men should dare to be exact. Play or tongue in cheek should be forbidden for calculators like city planners. When a new industrial idea comes into his software, that ‘a car for everyone is democratic’ or ‘the internet of things will connect everything’, the non linguistic consequencies must be included in its presentation. Otherwise technology insults itself. It is amazing how intelligence evaporates in converging media, especially in Holland. Sure its super nice to pick up each others feel for culture. Im sure Einstein in terms of communication would encourage the blog. But what is so difficult about pointing out in which dimension a new id is saying what, exactly ? ingeborg

]]> By: Ben Gilliland http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4285 Ben Gilliland Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:13:41 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4285 ...oops, thought I'd lost the first reply. Call it a BOGOF …oops, thought I’d lost the first reply. Call it a BOGOF

]]> By: Ben Gilliland http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4284 Ben Gilliland Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:09:19 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4284 "without editorial signposting of the kind Metro dare not stoop to, many readers are apt to take all “scientific” pieces with about as much scepticism as Brass Eye’s pundits did the composition of crustacean DNA or the ability of computer keyboards to emit mind-altering vapours…" You have no idea...(sigh)... how true...(sigh)... that is (sigh). But it gives me a giggle - between bouts of tooth-grinding frustration - when, on Monday morning, I open pandora's inbox and release the emails of those lost souls who see a word and say 'that's a word' instead of saying 'that's a word, what does he mean?' ...sigh “without editorial signposting of the kind Metro dare not stoop to, many readers are apt to take all “scientific” pieces with about as much scepticism as Brass Eye’s pundits did the composition of crustacean DNA or the ability of computer keyboards to emit mind-altering vapours…”

You have no idea…(sigh)… how true…(sigh)… that is (sigh).
But it gives me a giggle - between bouts of tooth-grinding frustration - when, on Monday morning, I open pandora’s inbox and release the emails of those lost souls who see a word and say ‘that’s a word’ instead of saying ‘that’s a word, what does he mean?’
…sigh

]]> By: Ben Gilliland http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4283 Ben Gilliland Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:00:08 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4283 "I’m also aware, however, that without editorial signposting of the kind Metro dare not stoop to, many readers are apt to take all “scientific” pieces with about as much scepticism as Brass Eye’s pundits did the composition of crustacean DNA or the ability of computer keyboards to emit mind-altering vapours…" ...you have no idea (sigh). I often think twice about such an approach - knowing full well the number of folks who cannot see beyond their nose - but sometimes the subject is a gift and I cannot resist. I just write and get ready to reap the whirlwind (or blackhole) “I’m also aware, however, that without editorial signposting of the kind Metro dare not stoop to, many readers are apt to take all “scientific” pieces with about as much scepticism as Brass Eye’s pundits did the composition of crustacean DNA or the ability of computer keyboards to emit mind-altering vapours…”

…you have no idea (sigh).
I often think twice about such an approach - knowing full well the number of folks who cannot see beyond their nose - but sometimes the subject is a gift and I cannot resist. I just write and get ready to reap the whirlwind (or blackhole)

]]> By: Tom Chatfield http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4282 Tom Chatfield Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:20:19 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4282 Hi Ben, Delighted you've found your way to Prospect through the mysteries of the web-verse! I picked on your piece largely because of my relish at its satirical undertow (as finely exhibited in the extract above); and surely comparison to Brass Eye, one of the finest British satires of the last decade, is praise enough for anyone's comic skills. I'm also aware, however, that without editorial signposting of the kind Metro dare not stoop to, many readers are apt to take all "scientific" pieces with about as much scepticism as Brass Eye's pundits did the composition of crustacean DNA or the ability of computer keyboards to emit mind-altering vapours… Hi Ben,

Delighted you’ve found your way to Prospect through the mysteries of the web-verse!

I picked on your piece largely because of my relish at its satirical undertow (as finely exhibited in the extract above); and surely comparison to Brass Eye, one of the finest British satires of the last decade, is praise enough for anyone’s comic skills.

I’m also aware, however, that without editorial signposting of the kind Metro dare not stoop to, many readers are apt to take all “scientific” pieces with about as much scepticism as Brass Eye’s pundits did the composition of crustacean DNA or the ability of computer keyboards to emit mind-altering vapours…

]]> By: Ben Gilliland http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4281 Ben Gilliland Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:18:42 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4281 Hi, I am the writer (and artist) responsible for the afore mentioned article and I am a little concerned that no one seems to have spotted the extremely 'tongue in cheek' way I represented the story. It was not intended as 'bugger we might be doomed' scenario, more a 'look at what the crackpots have come up with now!'. Unfortunately, as Metro is supposed to be impartial in all things I am restricted from using 'I think this is rubbish' type editorial. However, I do hope readers are intelligent enough to spot a bit satire and embrace it for what it is. Alas I am sometimes disappointed as my optimism often proves misplaced. Hi, I am the writer (and artist) responsible for the afore mentioned article and I am a little concerned that no one seems to have spotted the extremely ‘tongue in cheek’ way I represented the story.
It was not intended as ‘bugger we might be doomed’ scenario, more a ‘look at what the crackpots have come up with now!’.
Unfortunately, as Metro is supposed to be impartial in all things I am restricted from using ‘I think this is rubbish’ type editorial. However, I do hope readers are intelligent enough to spot a bit satire and embrace it for what it is. Alas I am sometimes disappointed as my optimism often proves misplaced.

]]> By: Terrence O'Keeffe http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4280 Terrence O'Keeffe Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:47:14 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4280 There will always be people who are absolutely gleeful (while hiding their smiles) about the world going down in flames, or, in this case, crossing the event-horizon of a black hole, beyond which nothing is known concerning the rearrangements of matter and energy (let’s just say that everything will be percolating in a very interesting way but we won’t be able to comment about it, having been severely disassembled). The idea of “the last days of mankind” seems to get both religious fundamentalists and “I told you so” congenital pessimists worked up into a froth, and any little scrap of information that might seem to justify their worries or validate their ideas concerning matters eschatological is immediately seized upon. Norman Cohn described this mentality in his classic “The Pursuit of the Millennium”, and not much remains to be added. Science itself will always provide fodder for this kind of speculation. The tabloids do an excellent job of disseminating shoddy ideas with laughable illustrations and fake pictures, and many a reader, poorly educated in science and not all that rational to begin with, gets what he or she wants and likes. It’s a match made in heaven and is delightful to watch. When it comes to thinking about methodology in science (dreary but necessary thoughts) and what constitutes evidence, most folks are just plain ignorant or stupid, and proud of it. P. T. Barnum could have made a tidy sum with a sign proclaiming “Follow the egress to the black hole – five cents”. There will always be people who are absolutely gleeful (while hiding their smiles) about the world going down in flames, or, in this case, crossing the event-horizon of a black hole, beyond which nothing is known concerning the rearrangements of matter and energy (let’s just say that everything will be percolating in a very interesting way but we won’t be able to comment about it, having been severely disassembled). The idea of “the last days of mankind” seems to get both religious fundamentalists and “I told you so” congenital pessimists worked up into a froth, and any little scrap of information that might seem to justify their worries or validate their ideas concerning matters eschatological is immediately seized upon. Norman Cohn described this mentality in his classic “The Pursuit of the Millennium”, and not much remains to be added. Science itself will always provide fodder for this kind of speculation. The tabloids do an excellent job of disseminating shoddy ideas with laughable illustrations and fake pictures, and many a reader, poorly educated in science and not all that rational to begin with, gets what he or she wants and likes. It’s a match made in heaven and is delightful to watch. When it comes to thinking about methodology in science (dreary but necessary thoughts) and what constitutes evidence, most folks are just plain ignorant or stupid, and proud of it. P. T. Barnum could have made a tidy sum with a sign proclaiming “Follow the egress to the black hole – five cents”.

]]> By: John Sulman http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4275 John Sulman Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:05:38 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4275 The 'pull of gravity' is one of those scientific facts for which there is no real evidence. Gravity by suction was, perhaps, Newton's least intelligent idea, of which he was made paifully aware by Robert Hooke for which he never forgave him. The ‘pull of gravity’ is one of those scientific facts for which there is no real evidence. Gravity by suction was, perhaps, Newton’s least intelligent idea, of which he was made paifully aware by Robert Hooke for which he never forgave him.

]]> By: John Sulman http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4270 John Sulman Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:48:23 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/04/04/its-the-end-of-the-world-maybe/#comment-4270 Gravity by suction was, perhaps, Newton's least intelligent idea, of which he was made painfully aware by Robert Hooke for which he never forgave him. It was not even an inherent property of matter but derived externally. Pride, however, prevented him from going further than declaring that if neither he nor Aristotle had got it right, it was probably "beyond the wit of man" to discover the cause. CERN may find that even £4billion will not buy them the answer for which the back of an envelop could prove a more useful tool. That is all that is needed for a modest reworking of the 'inverse-square' law, creating an entirely different picture! The 'pull' is one of those 'scientific facts' for which there is no real evidence. Gravity by suction was, perhaps, Newton’s least intelligent idea, of which he was made painfully aware by Robert Hooke for which he never forgave him. It was not even an inherent property of matter but derived externally. Pride, however, prevented him from going further than declaring that if neither he nor Aristotle had got it right, it was probably “beyond the wit of man” to discover the cause.
CERN may find that even £4billion will not buy them the answer for which the back of an envelop could prove a more useful tool. That is all that is needed for a modest reworking of the ‘inverse-square’ law, creating an entirely different picture! The ‘pull’ is one of those ’scientific facts’ for which there is no real evidence.

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