Re: Arthur C. Clarke on Cold Fusion

[William Beaty <billb@eskimo.com>]

On Sat, 27 Jun 1998, William Beaty wrote:

> ...Even more controversial than the threat of asteroid impacts is what I
> would call perhaps one of the greatest scandals in the history of science,


In order to continue being an irritant, I have attached a few quotes below
about similar things. More are at:

   http://www.eskimo.com/~billb/weird/wclose.html#quotes

((((((((((((((((((((( ( (  (   (    (O)    )   )  ) ) )))))))))))))))))))))
William J. Beaty                                  SCIENCE HOBBYIST website
billb@eskimo.com                                  www.eskimo.com/~billb
EE/programmer/sci-exhibits          science projects, tesla, weird science
Seattle, WA   206-781-3320          freenrg-L taoshum-L vortex-L webhead-L


  "It is really quite amazing by what margins competent but conservative
  scientists and engineers can miss the mark, when they start with the
  preconceived idea that what they are invesigating is impossible.  When
  this happens, the most well-informed men become blinded by their
  prejudices and are unable to see what lies directly ahead of them." 
   - Arthur C. Clarke, 1963

 "I am not very skeptical... a good deal of skepticism in a scientific man
  is advisable to avoid much loss of time, but I have met not a few men,
  who... have often thus been deterred from experiments or observations
  which would have proven servicable."   - Charles Darwin
 
 "If a man is in too big a hurry to give up an error he is liable to 
  give up some truth with it."  - Wilbur Wright, 1902

 "It's like religion.  Heresy [in science] is though of as a bad thing,
  whereas it should be just the opposite."  - T. Gold

 "I believe there is no source of deception in the investigation of
  nature which can compare with a fixed belief that certain kinds of
  phenomena are IMPOSSIBLE."  -William James

 "When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is
  possible, he is almost certainly right.  When he states that something
  is impossible, he is very probably wrong."
     - Arthur C. Clarke's First Law

 "The discovery of truth is prevented more effectively not by the false
  appearance of things present and which mislead into error, not directly
  by weakness of the reasoning powers, but by preconceived opinion, by
  prejudice."  - Schopenhauer

 "There is nothing particularly scientific about excessive caution.
  Science thrives on daring generalizations."  - L. Hogben

 "I have steadily endeavored to keep my mind free so as to give up any
  hypothesis, however much beloved (and I cannot resist forming one on
  every subject), as soon as the facts are shown to be opposed to it."
    - Charles Darwin

 "The whole of science consists of data that, at one time or another, were
  inexplicable."  - B. O'Regan

 "The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new
  discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' (I found it!)  but  'That's funny...'
    - Isaac Asimov 

  "The only solid piece of scientific truth about which I feel totally
   confident is that we are profoundly ignorant about nature... It is this
   sudden confrontation with the depth and scope of ignorance that
   represents the most significant contribution of twentieth-century
   science to the human intellect." -Lewis Thomas

  "Sit down before facts like a child, and be prepared to give up every
   preconceived notion, follow humbly wherever and to whatever abysses
   Nature leads, or you shall learn nothing."  -T.H. Huxley

  "The high-minded man must care more for the truth than for what people
   think."   - Aristotle

  "In real life, every field of science is incomplete, and most of them 
   - whatever the record of accomplisment during the last 200 years - are
   still in their very earliest stages."  -Lewis Thomas

  "In philosophical discussion, the merest hint of dogmatic certainty
   as to finality of statement is an exhibition of folly."  - Whitehead

  "On any Tuesday morning, if asked, a good working scientist will tell
   you with some self-satisfaction that the affairs of his field are
   nicely in order, that things are finally looking clear and making
   sense, and all is well.  But come back again on another Tuesday, and
   the roof may have just fallen in on his life's work."  -Lewis Thomas

 "For every expert, there is an equal and opposite expert." - anon

 "Who never walks save where he sees men's tracks makes no discoveries."
   - J.G. Holland

  "Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible."
  - Frank Zappa