If the world is wasn't understandable, we would run out of theories to test and that would be it for science. So far, so good.
"a consistent world"
Science would be able to identify an inconsistency. Quantum physics has a random element to it, but science has been able to handle that.
Language and math are both human inventions that can be used to describe the Universe or something imaginary. pi is a mathematical description of an element of the Universe. You could still do math if you redefined pi, but you wouldn't be describing the Universe any more.
If results from the past where wrong, which happens quite often, it would show up in the failure experiments in the present. Eventually the cause would be found and corrected.
"Can you prove this claim with the scientific method?"
I think there is strong evidence that the scientific method has been the most successful at determining how the universe works, compared to Aristotlism.
Math is not knowledge by the definition I'm using. Math is a tool we invented to help us describe the universe. It has been designed to work follow how the universe works. One could, some some people do, come up with mathematical system that do not describe how the universe works.
Personal memory is a source of evidence, although not as good as others. If your memory is consistent with other evidence and our scientific knowledge, then one can reasonably believe it.
"I believe one of those accounts is true based on my personal study of history"
Studying history can tell out a lot about how humans work, but not very much about how the universe works.
What we have learned from applying scientific method is the foundation of all knowledge.
On top of that is what we can deduce by applying logic to what we have learned from applying the scientific method, but those thoeries remain provisional until tested by the scientific method.
Many of the things we think we know, like economics and religion, has little to no basis in the scientific method. That doesn't automatically make them wrong, but they aren't really knowledge.
Science isn't about proving things true or not true. It's about finding the theory that is best supported by the evidence.
I guess I shouldn't say there is no evidence, but the evidence is weak for a long list of reasons and no rational person would be justified in believing it.
Yes, science can only tell us what likely happened a really long time ago, but that is no reason to believe in one of the infinite number of things that could have happened, but isn't supported by evidence and can't be debunked, just because it was a historical claim.
It isn't proven. It's just a theory that is consistant with our current understanding of physics. However that understand is supported by evidence. That is why it not a religion.
I don't know what the quantum vacuum was, but if it did create the Universe there is no reason to think that it has any of the attributes commonally associated with word God, there it would not be God.
If the universe wasn't ordered, we wouldn't be here trying to figure out what created it.
There have been many historical claims that have been abandon in the light of science, like geocentism or the idea that there should be an equal amount of land north and south of the equator. This one should be too.
There is no evidence to support the idea of a divine creator. There is a growing body of evidence that the Universe could have been created from nothing (aka a quantum vacuum).
The effect of the warming are difficult to predict which means it could be not as bad as predicted or worse then predicted.
It would be prudent to start slashing carbon dioxide emissions since the worst case consequences of doing that (taking a bus) is less bad then the worst case consequences of global warming (hundreds of millions of deaths).
Ejecta goes in both directions. Life could have originated on Mars and then traveled to Earth, especially since Mars would have been habitable sooner because it was smaller and cooler.
The real implication is that life could have originated in another solar system and has been bouncing around the galaxy for billions of years.
I run a website called TransSee that uses the NextBus API to generate bus (and streetcar) predictions. It supports LA, San Fransisco, Boston and Toronto and a bunch of other places.
The web (and mysql) server runs on my Asus WL-500g Premium wifi router connected to a harddrive via USB (which is why it maybe Slashdotted by the time you read this.) It uses DD-WRT
I also have a Wordpress blog and MediaWiki hosted there.
The server is slower then I like. I was thinking of replacing it with the Palm Pre I'm using to make this post.
At least we haven't had any World Wars since the UN was founded. There have been also a dramatic decrease in wars between countries. Getting involved in civil wars wasn't the UN's original purpose, but its mission has expended since it has been so successful in preventing other kinds of wars.
Standard definition MPEG2 would still be useful for many.
Does anyone know if it possible to translate MPEG2 into MPEG4 without reencoding? It should be doable if MPEG4 has a superset of the features of MPEG2.
Normally there would be know reason to do this, but it would be useful to get around these licensing restrictions on the Raspberry Pi, smartphones and other devices like this.
If you are in the USA or Canada all over-the-air TV is digital and any USB dongle video capture device should be able to record it for you, probably with captioning.
"Windows is still on >85% of all PCs sold and I'll be damned if less than 95% of those came without a single piece of crapware."
I'm pretty sure PC sold to business, which tend to cost more, don't include crapware because most midsized to large businesses reformat their PCs with a custom image.
Slashdot Mirror
I recalled being taught about axioms, like commutativity, and how they aren't provable in high school.
Appeal to authority is not science. It is a logial fallacy.
Teachers should present the evidence and have the students decide for themselves. It would be an excellent exercise.
"the world is understandable"
If the world is wasn't understandable, we would run out of theories to test and that would be it for science. So far, so good.
"a consistent world"
Science would be able to identify an inconsistency. Quantum physics has a random element to it, but science has been able to handle that.
Language and math are both human inventions that can be used to describe the Universe or something imaginary. pi is a mathematical description of an element of the Universe. You could still do math if you redefined pi, but you wouldn't be describing the Universe any more.
If results from the past where wrong, which happens quite often, it would show up in the failure experiments in the present. Eventually the cause would be found and corrected.
"Can you prove this claim with the scientific method?"
I think there is strong evidence that the scientific method has been the most successful at determining how the universe works, compared to Aristotlism.
Math is not knowledge by the definition I'm using. Math is a tool we invented to help us describe the universe. It has been designed to work follow how the universe works. One could, some some people do, come up with mathematical system that do not describe how the universe works.
Personal memory is a source of evidence, although not as good as others. If your memory is consistent with other evidence and our scientific knowledge, then one can reasonably believe it.
"I believe one of those accounts is true based on my personal study of history"
Studying history can tell out a lot about how humans work, but not very much about how the universe works.
What we have learned from applying scientific method is the foundation of all knowledge.
On top of that is what we can deduce by applying logic to what we have learned from applying the scientific method, but those thoeries remain provisional until tested by the scientific method.
Many of the things we think we know, like economics and religion, has little to no basis in the scientific method. That doesn't automatically make them wrong, but they aren't really knowledge.
Science isn't about proving things true or not true. It's about finding the theory that is best supported by the evidence.
I guess I shouldn't say there is no evidence, but the evidence is weak for a long list of reasons and no rational person would be justified in believing it.
Yes, science can only tell us what likely happened a really long time ago, but that is no reason to believe in one of the infinite number of things that could have happened, but isn't supported by evidence and can't be debunked, just because it was a historical claim.
It isn't proven. It's just a theory that is consistant with our current understanding of physics. However that understand is supported by evidence. That is why it not a religion.
I don't know what the quantum vacuum was, but if it did create the Universe there is no reason to think that it has any of the attributes commonally associated with word God, there it would not be God.
"We shall ignore the fact that not all historical claims are created equal"
Some historical claims are supported scientific evidence (or are at least consistent with how we now understand the Universe). This claim is not.
If the universe wasn't ordered, we wouldn't be here trying to figure out what created it.
There have been many historical claims that have been abandon in the light of science, like geocentism or the idea that there should be an equal amount of land north and south of the equator. This one should be too.
There is no evidence to support the idea of a divine creator. There is a growing body of evidence that the Universe could have been created from nothing (aka a quantum vacuum).
Wouldn't it have been easier to install nano?
The effect of the warming are difficult to predict which means it could be not as bad as predicted or worse then predicted.
It would be prudent to start slashing carbon dioxide emissions since the worst case consequences of doing that (taking a bus) is less bad then the worst case consequences of global warming (hundreds of millions of deaths).
What compiler are Pascal developers using that isn't Delphi. Aren't most Pascal compilers capable of handling Delphi's Object Pascal anyway?
Shouldn't the Pascal and Delphi be combined into one grouping the way that all the different C++ are combined?
Things may not be as clear as you think. Only in the last few decades did we discover the the majority of life on Earth is underground in rocks.
Besides, the conditions have changed on Mars since 4 billions years ago.
Ejecta goes in both directions. Life could have originated on Mars and then traveled to Earth, especially since Mars would have been habitable sooner because it was smaller and cooler.
The real implication is that life could have originated in another solar system and has been bouncing around the galaxy for billions of years.
I run a website called TransSee that uses the NextBus API to generate bus (and streetcar) predictions. It supports LA, San Fransisco, Boston and Toronto and a bunch of other places.
The web (and mysql) server runs on my Asus WL-500g Premium wifi router connected to a harddrive via USB (which is why it maybe Slashdotted by the time you read this.) It uses DD-WRT
I also have a Wordpress blog and MediaWiki hosted there.
The server is slower then I like. I was thinking of replacing it with the Palm Pre I'm using to make this post.
At least we haven't had any World Wars since the UN was founded. There have been also a dramatic decrease in wars between countries. Getting involved in civil wars wasn't the UN's original purpose, but its mission has expended since it has been so successful in preventing other kinds of wars.
Standard definition MPEG2 would still be useful for many.
Does anyone know if it possible to translate MPEG2 into MPEG4 without reencoding? It should be doable if MPEG4 has a superset of the features of MPEG2.
Normally there would be know reason to do this, but it would be useful to get around these licensing restrictions on the Raspberry Pi, smartphones and other devices like this.
It would be cheaper for IBM just to buy SCO. Since they are in bankruptcy protection they can't turn down a responsible offer.
Most industries are centrally planned, except the planning is done by two or three large oligarchical companies.
Several of them have gone to jail. No doubt they knew about that risk. They haven't blown up any buildings yet, either.
If you are in the USA or Canada all over-the-air TV is digital and any USB dongle video capture device should be able to record it for you, probably with captioning.
"Windows is still on >85% of all PCs sold and I'll be damned if less than 95% of those came without a single piece of crapware."
I'm pretty sure PC sold to business, which tend to cost more, don't include crapware because most midsized to large businesses reformat their PCs with a custom image.
The conference call seems to be the tip of the ice burg. They knew about the call because they are intercepting FBI/police emails.
The more people involved the more opportunities they have to gather information.