Interesting discussion by authoritative and expert CCP4BB contributors.
Francis Bacon is often cited as one of the originators of enlightenment
science. An recent (1964!) update on his methods can be found in
http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~markhill/science64_strong_inference.pdf. I
think this still contains relevant material for anyone teaching science
(including crystallography).
Some interpretations of quantum mechanics (e.g. the influence of the
observer on the observation) have provided encouragement for a
postmodern philosophy of science. Until an agreed interpretation of
quantum phenomena is obtained I think this will still be an issue. I am
not sure what a post modern philosopher would make of the recent
proposal (from two authoritative sources) that the time travelling Higgs
Boson is sabotaging the LHC (it also apparently stopped the US Congress
from funding the Superconducting Supercollider).
Now I wish we could use this sort of excuse for why our synchrotrons
have problems or why they are not funded.
Colin
-----Original Message-----
From: CCP4 bulletin board [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
David J. Schuller
Sent: 20 October 2009 13:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ccp4bb] crystallography teaching advice: f(S) ?
On Tue, 2009-10-20 at 11:45 +0100, Phil Evans wrote:
> On 20 Oct 2009, at 10:53, Kevin Cowtan wrote:
> >
> I thought that the point of Enlightenment science was a rejection of
> (Aristotelian) authority, basing science of empirical observations. If
> properly conducted, Science is inherently not based on authority but
> on evidence...
Indeed. The word expertise is more appropriate in science than
authority.
-
=======================================================================
You can't possibly be a scientist if you mind people thinking that
you're a fool. - Wonko the Sane
=======================================================================
David J. Schuller
modern man in a post-modern world
MacCHESS, Cornell University
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