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Re: [Phys-L] strange things in chem book




On Sep 16, 2012, at 7:43 PM, Ken Caviness wrote:

Absolutely false. To call "Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation" a law is false. It's not even true, we have had a more accurate explanation for gravity since 1916: General Relativity. That too is not a final answer, since it demonstrably disagrees with quantum mechanics.

F = G m1 m2 / r^2 is an excellent approximation, that is adequate for 99% of what we do. Yes, it gives the right answers or nearly the right answers almost all the time. That's what "excellent approximation" means.

Wherever Newton got it right, General Relativity gives the right answers too. Planes fly correctly, your jumping ability is what is to be expected, common things operate correctly. But in other situations, where Newton gets the wrong answers, Einstein gets it right. (And in still other places, both are WRONG. But good approximations.)

Never say to the average person that "both are wrong." !!

Don't let your irritation about misunderstandings of non-scientists cause you to say false things. Find a way to give correct information, without feeding public misconceptions, but without setting yourself up for a fall.

I suggested: "This is the only consistent explanation" instead of "It's proven".

So the word "consistent" sets you up for a worse fall in any debate with the antiscience crowd. They only deal in absolutes... we must learn to do so as well.

What does the group think of that? I submit that it is not giving a wrong impression, it is not feeding any misunderstandings or medieval thinking. "It's proven" is never true, and even the non-scientist will eventually realize that you were wrong to make that claim, and you will then be completely discredited.

They already think we are using double speak. They already disbelieve most of science. Just check beliefs from elementary grades to those from high school. Ask the average 12th grader about evolution. To do as I suggested can't make things any worse that they are now and we might even gain some respect for standing up to the antiscience establishment. For every Biblical quote they throw at you you must have the opposite absolute statement.

And, yes, we can say the Newton is 'made better' by Einstein. But never say that Newton was wrong. He wasn't wrong... just say, "he was several hundred years earlier and Einstein made improvements to him." never say "both are wrong." NEVER!! You will then lose all attention and lose their respect. Ask the average j.q. public what relativity is and the most intelligent of them will answer E=mc^2 and not really know what is is. You can explain that in simple terms and leave it at that. We tend to go off into elaborate explanations which may be correct, but at a certain point you lose their attention and then you've lost the war.

(and by the way... PLEASE delete all previous posts before hitting the RE ...)