Re: Cause and Effect

[Jack Uretsky <jlu@HEP.ANL.GOV>]

        Yes, of course.  And because I believe that physics involves
esthetics as well as mathematics, I appreciate the distinction although
I would not impose it upon the heathens.
        If we recognize that forces <cause> the accelerations of masses,
then we are enabled to ask the question: What are the forces?  This
question leads is to the measurement of accelerations, in situations
where all of the forces are presumed known, in order to try to discover
new forces.  Such experiments are currently fashionable.
                                        Regards,
                                                Jack

Adam was by constitution and proclivity a scientist; I was the same, and
we loved to call ourselves by that great name...Our first memorable
scientific discovery was the law that water and like fluids run downhill,
not up.
                          Mark Twain, <Extract from Eve's Autobiography>

On Sun, 22 Oct 2000, Leigh Palmer wrote:

> > Like John, I do not believe the laws or measurements tell us that forces
> > cause accelerations.  Physics doesn't seem to care if forces cause
> > accelerations or visa-versa.
>
> Forget about John! Newton told you forces cause accelerations. If Newton's
> second law is taken from Newton instead of from John no problem arises.
>
> Leigh