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Re: The end of science!



Date: Sun, 1 Sep 1996 14:51:24 -0700 (PDT)
From: William Beaty <billb@eskimo.com>


Though Horgan believes that scientists of the turn of the century did NOT
believe as he does, that science is finished, I suspect that Horgan
himself has put an end to this foolishness. In fifty or 100 years, after
more huge upheavals brought about by new discoveries have taken place,
someone is bound to start claiming that Science is Done. But next time
the more wise among us won't have just Michaelson as a reference. Instead
they'll be able to whip out an ancient copy of a silly book written by a
certain senior writer from Scientific American, and shame the doom-sayers
into silence.

Dream on; but see the review of Horgan's book by Brian Hays (who preceded
him at Sci.Am. by a few years, and is now at Am.Sci.) in the most recent
issue of American Scientist: "The End of Science Writing?" Interestingly
enough, he doesn't make much of the historical comparison, having other
fish to fry.

------------------------------
Random quote for this second:
If all the world's a stage, I want to operate the trap
door.---Paul Beatty