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Re: [Phys-l] BEC(addittion to 5/20 posting)



Hi all-
After posting the below I recalled an instance of just a few weeks ago when some of our less critical correspondents posted "ain't it awful" messages regarding a puported confession by a juvenile. The story turned out to be a hoax - I forget the details.
Regards,
Jack


On Sat, 20 May 2006, Jack Uretsky wrote:

1. "I seem to recall" is not an invitation to ask me to go through the files; my present occupation will be reflected in my forthcoming research paper, which I decline to postpone further. I am confident that there are others on the list who have the same recollection. At any rate it is a completely side issue, so let's not trade the main issue for a distraction.



On Sat, 20 May 2006, Bernard Cleyet wrote:

"...and how urban legends are spread - as has happened on occasionon
this net, I seem to recall.

"My knowledgeable friend said" is not evidence of general acceptance, for the reasons I listed in my last posting. These, by the way, are the same reasons that (with carefully tailored exceptions) hearsay evidence is not admissible (over an objection) in a court case, civil or criminal.



Regards,

Jack"


Not a crit, but would appreciate reading an example.

bc

p.s. I thought JD took care of this: the authority stated the GRAT&A rule
(generally regarded as true & applicable); applied it to example(s); voilà.

bc


Jack Uretsky wrote:

Hi Rick-
My tongue is NOT in my cheek. I don't know who "my friend the
theoretician" is, how reliable he/she is, and whether Terry is accurately
quoting what he heard. Appeal to authority is to be contrasted to a
verifiable line of reasoning, which may come from authority.
In the context of purveying facts to physics teachers to be passed
on to their students, blatant appeal to authority, without a great deal
more, simply teaches the wrong lesson. That's one way that junk science
comes about and how urban legends are spread - as has happened on occasion
on this net, I seem to recall.
Regards,
Jack




On Thu, 18 May 2006, Rick Tarara wrote:



Jack,

Are you being serious here or is your tongue firmly in your cheek--hard to
tell via this medium.

If we are not to at least provisionally trust the 'BEC theoretician' to
answer BEC questions to the best of today's understanding, then what?
Appeal to authority IS the way we come to know most of what we know. We
have only a limited time (and expertise) to 'create for ourselves' from the
vast array of knowledge we might wish to partake in.

Rick




----- Original Message -----
From: "Jack Uretsky" <jlu@hep.anl.gov>




Well, Terry, I guess your answer to my question is that you are not in
able to vouch for the accuracy of your friend's information. My inquiry
was in the spirit of the objections that have been made to the
unquestioning acceptance of authority - objections that have been made
eloquently by others on this net and, perhaps less eloquently, by myself.
Regards,
Jack

On Thu, 18 May 2006, Terry Scott wrote:



Well Jack, I guess my answer is take it or leave it. I am responding
to this thread in a spirit of public service, if you do not accept the
accuracy of this information it is of no concern to me.

The only other suggestion I can make is to read the literature, follow
the research and make up your own mind i.e. go and create it yourself.

Terry



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Forum for Physics Educators
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https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l





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