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I find it comforting to discount the folks who feel they are talking
about physical reality. I remind myself that even the most righteously
indignant, in favor of their very own understanding of what is real,
what is physical, are in the end talking about models, models that
may provide a gratifying sense of connectedness to other valued
physical models: daring models, models couched in the most
recherche' maths.
I do try to be attentive when an educator tells me that one
embodiment of a model, say latent heat of fusion, or heat transfer
or dissipation, may sound traditional and reasonable at some stage,
but may become a confusion factor at some other stage.
But in the end, if a model serves its purpose now, then that is a
very pragmatic advantage that easily overwhelms suggestions from
other quarters that they have a direct line to ultimate truth.
I know, as strongly as I know anything, that they do not, and cannot.
Brian Whatcott
Altus OK Eureka!