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Re: I don't object to changing my mind, but can take more convincing than I really should. Dreaded Anomaly Send a noteboard - 24/05/2011 11:33:58 PM
Maybe not in the grand scheme of things, but since we're discussing the literal grand scheme of things a 10% discrepancy only looks good because the previous discrepancy was 100+ orders of magnitude. It's still a significant variance, and the extent of its improvement only underscores the fact previous estimates covered a range just shy of the set of all numbers, which still inspires little confidence.


You don't have the background or context to decide how significant it is. The fact that it's a preliminary result means it will probably decrease quite a bit as we get more results. If it doesn't, that's when it matters.

I've stated my reasons: It was a problem with the particle zoo in the '50s and '60s, and again with GUTs in the '80s and '90s (and to some extent, I believe, remains one). Those are just the recent/contemporary examples a layman can quickly cite. It wasn't something banished with geocentrism and other superstitions during the Age of Reason as you previously suggested. It's ultimately a problem of human psychology that I don't think can be evolved past in a few centuries. Ideas are more readily disseminated now, and to that extent more likely challenged, but man himself has changed little if any. We're still susceptible to the same institutional and disciplinary errors, even where particular institutions and actors have given way to others.


No, those are examples when people did "question the canon." If it didn't happen fast enough for you, well... tough.

None I'm aware of, but that doesn't mean no accurate ones of which NO ONE is aware exist. See my reply to your last response on GUTs. I'm not saying we should ignore the best extant theory that fits the evidence to pursue hypothetical better ones, I'm just saying we should keep our eyes open for them as we evaluate existing theories, and for flaws experiment and observation indicate in those theories that should spur us to look for others. If an existing theory consistently matches the data we're seeing obviously we should stick with it for as long as that remains so, but not automatically EXPECT it to remain so, or confine investigation of the "dreaded anomaly" to ways we can reconcile it with our favorite theory.


There are no real indications that the field as a whole is not keeping its eyes open etc., so obsessing over it is not worthwhile.

My problem is that people did more than that: One group of people came up with a hypothesis and, before it was proven or even tested, another group of people came up with ANOTHER hypothesis based on the first. They took a very new and completely untested theory for granted, and made it the foundation of an even newer one. It worked out in the end, and that's great but, IMHO, science shouldn't encourage building a house of cards.


So now you're the hypothesis thought police?
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The Pati-Salam model was the one I had in mind. - 24/05/2011 10:34:04 PM 812 Views
Re: The Pati-Salam model was the one I had in mind. - 24/05/2011 11:08:01 PM 1019 Views
Re: The Pati-Salam model was the one I had in mind. - 25/05/2011 01:27:10 AM 831 Views
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Also, re: lensing from ordinary matter: - 29/04/2011 05:18:47 AM 851 Views
This seems like another example of what confuses the issue. - 30/04/2011 05:25:04 PM 970 Views
Re: This seems like another example of what confuses the issue. - 30/04/2011 08:56:40 PM 938 Views
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I don't object to changing my mind, but can take more convincing than I really should. - 07/05/2011 02:05:09 AM 1028 Views
Re: I don't object to changing my mind, but can take more convincing than I really should. - 09/05/2011 11:32:17 PM 936 Views
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Re: I don't object to changing my mind, but can take more convincing than I really should. - 24/05/2011 11:19:43 PM 804 Views
Re: I don't object to changing my mind, but can take more convincing than I really should. - 24/05/2011 11:33:58 PM 764 Views

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