"Are you a quack?" - A nice essay about science.

[Smith_3]

Have you ever talked to one of those people who insist that, despite them never having studied any science, their opinion on scientific concepts matter?

Maybe you want to send them this link:

http://insti.physics.sunysb.edu/~siegel/quack.html

This was written by a string theorist who apparently gets alot of hassle from people wanting to discuss non-sensical ideas with him.

Excerpt:


"That's what they told Galileo."
I know Galileo, and you're no Galileo. On the contrary, you're one of "they", people who, without any evidence in their favor, contradict real scientists. (Actually, "they" to whom you refer have been dead for over 300 years. The world has changed a bit since then.)

"The establishment always rejects new ideas."
2+2=5 isn't new, but it is wrong. Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean you're right. Actually, there is no "establishment" in science: Scientists often disagree, until nature (through experiment) determines who's right, just like people making a bet. But quacks always welsh on their bets, never admitting they're wrong.


Also interesting: "Common misconceptions about science" http://insti.physics.sunysb.edu/~siegel/warning.html