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Re: [Phys-l] Responding to a DJ about science



I think Bob has got it right. The more you talk to this guy, the more
attention he gets (being a DJ means he likes attention). If everyone ignores
his comments on this topic, he'll stop talking about it and move on to some
other inflammatory subject. Aggravating but what can you do.

-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
[mailto:phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Robert Yeend
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 8:53 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Responding to a DJ about science

As a sage once said, "The trouble with wrestling with pigs is that
both of you get dirty, but only the pig enjoys it."

Do you think that any response would be useful?

Bob
On Jul 26, 2010, at 1:29 PM, Souder Dwight wrote:

One of the radio stations I listen to, I heard the DJ talking about
how ridiculous NASA scientists are about the discovery of some new
planets. He also stated that he posted it on his Facebook
account. So, I checked it out, read the article and his response.
I thought his answer was a bit general and full of errors, so I set
a quick reply. He responded to my reply and I think he's even
further off topic. I'm just curious how you would respond to this DJ?

Obviously, there is a reason why he's a DJ and not a "scientist".
What bothers me is that he has the bigger mic to broadcast his
ignorance.

Below are the DJ's and my responses.
---------------------------------------------------------------

DJ: Once again, ... "scientists" have taken a picture of "deep
space", and say they know what they're looking at AS IF THEY'D BEEN
THERE! But they HAVEN'T! Yet MILLIONS of people will believe every
word they say, and call the rest of us "idiots" for doubting them!
("science" once believed the Earth was FLAT, "man CAN'T ...fly",
and "NO other planet in the ENTIRE UNIVERSE ... BUT Earth... has
any life on it!")
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/07/25/nasas-deep-space-camera-
locates-host-earths/?test=latestnews


Me: Let's correct a few things. First, the church, philosophers,
and the uneducated general public believed the Earth was flat.
Scientists and many sailors believed the Earth was round, but
didn't say anything in fear of being put to death.

Many of the general public believed man couldn't fly, but many of
the scientists and engineers believed it could be done with the
right technology.

Primarily the church believed that life only exists on Earth. Many
scientists believe that there is a high probability of some level
of life (ranging from bacteria to advanced life) may exist
somewhere in the universe.

You are right that no one has physically been there or have been
able to send a probe to those locations. Their findings are based
on a common physical law of motion (Newton). The fact that these
new satellites have such a high resolution that allows them to see
the "wobble" motion of the stars. Those wobbles can only be caused
by some mass in orbit around that star. If there is no object in
orbit around the star, it doesn't wobble.


DJ: Let's CORRECT the "correction": "A few (fill in the blank)"
have gotten just about EVERYTHING right in history, but that does
NOT give those "few" any intellectual authority over everyone else,
nor does it make them any WISER.

"Science" is NOTHING MORE than man's discovery and use of the
PHYSICAL WORLD.. which GOD has already created.

NOTHING MORE.

Science is LIMITED to that which we CAN "see/feel/hear/touch/
smell". "Science" does NOT apply to anything beyond that, and it
doesn't BELIEVE in anything beyond that!

Science says that "EVERYTHING has a scientific explanation... and
if it DOESN'T, it DOESN'T EXIST!"

Which is OBSURD!

"Science" is NOT intellectually superior over ANYTHING, and people
who claim to be "scienTISTS" tend to be arrogantly in love with
their own sense of "brilliance and judgement".

Science itself has changed it's own theories and ideas a million
times over the course of history, because the universe has
NATURALLY proven science to be WRONG so many times!

FURTHERMORE, scientist's idea of "thinking OUTSIDE the box" is
completely BACKWARDS:

THEY think that BEING a "scientist" means "thinking OUTSIDE the
box", when it's the OTHER WAY AROUND!

"Science" does NOT believe in anything that exists OUTSIDE "science".

THEREFORE, they REFUSE to believe in GOD, the HUMAN SOUL, other
rhealms or dimensions of existance, or anything that cannot be
explained or understood BY ..."science".

Therefore, when a "scientist" takes a picture of something he
CLAIMS is 137,894,375,285,347,102,233 LIGHT YEARS AWAY FROM EARTH....

then tries to GUESS what it is he's looking at!......

IGNORE... the fool.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

If you were in my shoes and having this conversation, how would you
respond?

Have a great day!
Dwight

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Forum for Physics Educators
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