X-Message-Number: 19311
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 09:46:03 -0400
From: Thomas Donaldson <>
Subject: CryoNet #19304 - #19309

Hi everyone!

For David Stodolsky: thanks for clarifying what you meant. It's clearly
much more plausible once clarified. 

One of the nicer things about good science (unfortunately science isn't
always good!) is that it will admit anyone to the discussion who 
has a good idea which adds to the ideas in that discussion. Nobody
yet has to prove that they have the proper degrees. I personally think
it would be a long term disaster if such proof were asked: for instance,
the people who discoded DNA were not trained biologically or even
chemically. The one problem with those who lack those degrees, today,.
is that it's hard for them to get funding unless they have already made
such discoveries. 

As for myself, I haven't explored physics deeply enough to actually
make some new ideas there. But I think that almost anyone with an 
understanding of how science actually works would be able to do so,
although they might have to spend time doing some reading up on the
subject. It's a matter of a certain turn of mind, with a reasonable
amount of knowledge, not a matter of some fixed period of study.

As for what to do when science ISN'T good, that can be a hard problem.
Science has its own politicians and those who will not listen to anyone
not known to them. Some people are like that: pushing for dominance,
trying to strike down those who disagree with them on any point, etc
etc. 

		Best wishes and long long life to all,

			Thomas Donaldson

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