Comments on: The Honesty Of Cluelessness http://www.giagia.co.uk/2008/01/19/the-honesty-of-cluelessness/ Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:34:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: missphysics http://www.giagia.co.uk/2008/01/19/the-honesty-of-cluelessness/comment-page-1/#comment-41206 missphysics Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:02:48 +0000 http://www.giagia.co.uk/?p=247#comment-41206 2.49 + 2.49 (rounds down to 2+2) = 4.98 5 in anyone's book! 2.49 + 2.49 (rounds down to 2+2) = 4.98
5 in anyone’s book!

]]> By: giagia http://www.giagia.co.uk/2008/01/19/the-honesty-of-cluelessness/comment-page-1/#comment-41046 giagia Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:30:22 +0000 http://www.giagia.co.uk/?p=247#comment-41046 Do I believe we can know 'the truth'? Well, it depends on what you mean by 'truth'. You are correct when you say that scientific fact is only correct according to current knowledge. The difference between 'scientific fact' and conspiracy theory 'truth' is that 'scientific fact' goes through a lot of testing and re-testing, experiments and peer reviews. It's not just thought up by someone with a borderline personality disorder and spouted as fact on the internet. Do I believe we can know ‘the truth’? Well, it depends on what you mean by ‘truth’. You are correct when you say that scientific fact is only correct according to current knowledge. The difference between ‘scientific fact’ and conspiracy theory ‘truth’ is that ‘scientific fact’ goes through a lot of testing and re-testing, experiments and peer reviews. It’s not just thought up by someone with a borderline personality disorder and spouted as fact on the internet.

]]> By: TedC http://www.giagia.co.uk/2008/01/19/the-honesty-of-cluelessness/comment-page-1/#comment-41040 TedC Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:00:40 +0000 http://www.giagia.co.uk/?p=247#comment-41040 I hate math. Is this the truth? We are searching for the truth via factual discovery, but when is a fact not a fact? Result interpretation is as much art as anything, and so scientific fact may not be truthful, and is only believable given the available factual perception. Do you believe we can know the truth or is it more likely we only believe we know the truth? Given the facts, I believe it's hard to tell. I hate math. Is this the truth? We are searching for the truth via factual discovery, but when is a fact not a fact? Result interpretation is as much art as anything, and so scientific fact may not be truthful, and is only believable given the available factual perception. Do you believe we can know the truth or is it more likely we only believe we know the truth? Given the facts, I believe it’s hard to tell.

]]> By: giagia http://www.giagia.co.uk/2008/01/19/the-honesty-of-cluelessness/comment-page-1/#comment-40992 giagia Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:53:17 +0000 http://www.giagia.co.uk/?p=247#comment-40992 Actually, r, today I thought, 'Man, wouldn't it be HILARIOUS if I did a PhD in theology?!' ;) Actually, r, today I thought, ‘Man, wouldn’t it be HILARIOUS if I did a PhD in theology?!’ ;)

]]> By: r http://www.giagia.co.uk/2008/01/19/the-honesty-of-cluelessness/comment-page-1/#comment-40991 r Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:38:23 +0000 http://www.giagia.co.uk/?p=247#comment-40991 And I think you need to expand these thoughts into a thesis to obtain a doctorate in Philosophy. Seriously. You make more sense than many other philosophers I have read. How about a faculty seat at Cambridge or Oxford as your newest gig? You are both brilliant AND have WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much time on your hands! And I think you need to expand these thoughts into a thesis to obtain a doctorate in Philosophy. Seriously. You make more sense than many other philosophers I have read. How about a faculty seat at Cambridge or Oxford as your newest gig? You are both brilliant AND have WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much time on your hands!

]]> By: giagia http://www.giagia.co.uk/2008/01/19/the-honesty-of-cluelessness/comment-page-1/#comment-40613 giagia Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:21:26 +0000 http://www.giagia.co.uk/?p=247#comment-40613 Yep, there is no truth... I spent Saturday night arguing with Brian that there were, however, facts... like, say, 2+2=4 - then he started going all fucking Gödel on me. The twunt. Yep, there is no truth…

I spent Saturday night arguing with Brian that there were, however, facts… like, say, 2+2=4 – then he started going all fucking Gödel on me. The twunt.

]]> By: zeno http://www.giagia.co.uk/2008/01/19/the-honesty-of-cluelessness/comment-page-1/#comment-40609 zeno Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:19:14 +0000 http://www.giagia.co.uk/?p=247#comment-40609 Very thought provoking but, as you pointed out, it is rare that two people's truths coincide completely. We all make do with a life of compromise, and that's no bad thing. Anyway, a relativist philosopher was lecturing in Glasgow and he announced: "There is no such thing as Truth" A wee voice from the back replied: "Liar" Very thought provoking but, as you pointed out, it is rare that two people’s truths coincide completely. We all make do with a life of compromise, and that’s no bad thing.

Anyway, a relativist philosopher was lecturing in Glasgow and he announced: “There is no such thing as Truth”

A wee voice from the back replied: “Liar”

]]> By: RJ Adams http://www.giagia.co.uk/2008/01/19/the-honesty-of-cluelessness/comment-page-1/#comment-40588 RJ Adams Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:08:59 +0000 http://www.giagia.co.uk/?p=247#comment-40588 I don't know about 2+2=4, but your spam protection certainly believes 7+3=10. When I told it '11', it kicked me out. What is 'truth'? I believe that for everyone it is simply what they perceive to be correct - their 'belief system'. The question: what is 'fact', may be just the same thing. Establishing 'fact' is usually more difficult than it might first appear. Certain facts can generally be accepted as inalienable by virtue of their constancy: the sun rises and sets every twelve hours or so; most trees grow leaves in the Spring, etc.. The idea of using science to establish inalienable truth is somewhat pedantic, given that on the one hand most sciences base their conclusions on the examination of physical data, but on the other, inform us nothing is truly 'physical', everything is in a state of quantum flux. Scientific truth, it seems, is similarly in a state of flux. One only has to note the constantly opposing reports emerging regularly from the medical researchers to recognize that: one day this will kill you; next day it's vital to our wellbeing. I rather liked the quote of that 1930's physicist, Sir James Jeans, who said that <i>'...the universe begins to look more like a great thought than a great machine'</i>. Perhaps we might do better to accept we are all, to some degree, slaves to our belief systems, recognize them for exactly that and define 'truth' as a mere perception from a personal viewpoint. I don’t know about 2+2=4, but your spam protection certainly believes 7+3=10. When I told it ’11′, it kicked me out.
What is ‘truth’? I believe that for everyone it is simply what they perceive to be correct – their ‘belief system’. The question: what is ‘fact’, may be just the same thing. Establishing ‘fact’ is usually more difficult than it might first appear. Certain facts can generally be accepted as inalienable by virtue of their constancy: the sun rises and sets every twelve hours or so; most trees grow leaves in the Spring, etc..
The idea of using science to establish inalienable truth is somewhat pedantic, given that on the one hand most sciences base their conclusions on the examination of physical data, but on the other, inform us nothing is truly ‘physical’, everything is in a state of quantum flux.
Scientific truth, it seems, is similarly in a state of flux. One only has to note the constantly opposing reports emerging regularly from the medical researchers to recognize that: one day this will kill you; next day it’s vital to our wellbeing.
I rather liked the quote of that 1930′s physicist, Sir James Jeans, who said that ‘…the universe begins to look more like a great thought than a great machine’.
Perhaps we might do better to accept we are all, to some degree, slaves to our belief systems, recognize them for exactly that and define ‘truth’ as a mere perception from a personal viewpoint.

]]> By: giagia http://www.giagia.co.uk/2008/01/19/the-honesty-of-cluelessness/comment-page-1/#comment-40582 giagia Sun, 20 Jan 2008 10:03:12 +0000 http://www.giagia.co.uk/?p=247#comment-40582 Suw, thing is, I love conspiracy theories a lot. I find them enormously entertaining... my very favourite is <a href="http://60if.proboards21.com/" rel="nofollow">that Paul McCartney was killed in a car crash by the KKK and replaced by a double</a>. If someone believes that Paul McCartney is actually some look-alike from Canada, that's not going to threaten the world. One in two people on the planet could start to believe that for real, but it's not going to have any effect. If, however, people disbelieve *scientific fact* - ie that the rocks brought back from the Moon are *actually* rocks brought back from the Moon - I do think that is a threat to the future of humanity. I agree, Suw, that the reality of the Universe is far, FAR more mindblowing than a silly little conspiracy theory... I just don't understand why it's not enough for people. It's not all "idiots" who believe in the Moon Hoax either. That's what is so upsetting about it. Otherwise intelligent people have chosen to believe some lunatics rather than reality. It makes me sad and angry. Suw, thing is, I love conspiracy theories a lot. I find them enormously entertaining… my very favourite is that Paul McCartney was killed in a car crash by the KKK and replaced by a double.

If someone believes that Paul McCartney is actually some look-alike from Canada, that’s not going to threaten the world. One in two people on the planet could start to believe that for real, but it’s not going to have any effect.

If, however, people disbelieve *scientific fact* – ie that the rocks brought back from the Moon are *actually* rocks brought back from the Moon – I do think that is a threat to the future of humanity.

I agree, Suw, that the reality of the Universe is far, FAR more mindblowing than a silly little conspiracy theory… I just don’t understand why it’s not enough for people.

It’s not all “idiots” who believe in the Moon Hoax either. That’s what is so upsetting about it. Otherwise intelligent people have chosen to believe some lunatics rather than reality.

It makes me sad and angry.

]]> By: giagia http://www.giagia.co.uk/2008/01/19/the-honesty-of-cluelessness/comment-page-1/#comment-40581 giagia Sun, 20 Jan 2008 01:30:39 +0000 http://www.giagia.co.uk/?p=247#comment-40581 John, I just spent the night arguing with Brian about number theory... so technically, pedantically, you are right... :) John, I just spent the night arguing with Brian about number theory… so technically, pedantically, you are right… :)

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