tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post3122452504231110643..comments2024-03-29T03:05:05.850-05:00Comments on Althouse: "Astronomers released the latest and most exquisite baby picture yet of the universe on Thursday..."Ann Althousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01630636239933008807noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-19983668547018529972013-03-22T15:18:37.626-05:002013-03-22T15:18:37.626-05:00I agree with your observation, that improbable thi...<i>I agree with your observation, that improbable things exist, but I don't follow where you are going with it. Some very bright atheists have become theists by that process, others remain unconvinced.</i><br /><br />Where I'm going is that you can use the observation of improbability, infinitesimally small probability, to say "There has to be a God (or Gods, or whatever)." Or you can say "It is, because otherwise it wouldn't be." You don't need to find justification in books other people wrote and printed to have that awesome understanding.Dantehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07393170116669470751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-58179706175438872013-03-22T13:52:29.846-05:002013-03-22T13:52:29.846-05:00Scaler Tensor Vector GravityScaler Tensor Vector GravityBrew Masterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07568809558055900016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-68252454088999133652013-03-22T13:37:22.719-05:002013-03-22T13:37:22.719-05:00Dark Matter and Dark Energy are not measurable, no...<i>Dark Matter and Dark Energy are not measurable, nor testable. No experiments have ever been designed to prove their existance. What you describe as observational consequences are actually observational anomalies which are explained using DM and DE.</i><br /><br /><i>They are postulations used to explain the unknown, just as phlogiston, or epicycles, etc....</i><br /><br />Ah, ok. There are theories of the composition of dark matter that are tested (WIMPs, dark baryonic matter, etc.) and can be falsified, which is what I had in mind. I agree that the overall dark matter and (even more so) dark energy terms are placeholders for unexplained phenomena but there are people developing hypothesis of their origins that are being tested. If no one comes up with one that stands up to the observational data, our models of gravity and spacetime will have to change. This seems most obviously true for dark energy. CyndiFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05405982629283290587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-33176742569133602892013-03-22T13:35:05.978-05:002013-03-22T13:35:05.978-05:00It's so cuuuuute!It's so cuuuuute!Sam L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00996809377798862214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-79789510226049258292013-03-22T13:26:15.167-05:002013-03-22T13:26:15.167-05:00This is incorrect. Dark matter and dark energy may...<i>This is incorrect. Dark matter and dark energy may (in my opinion do) represent limitations in our current descriptions of gravity and spacetime, but they most definitely have observational consequences and are directly tested all the time. They are also highly falsifiable. There is a difference between "we don't understand this yet" and "we just made it up."</i><br /><br />Falsifiable? How so? Please explain. What empirical obsevervations would disprove dark matter/dark energy?Automatic_Wing https://www.blogger.com/profile/10174899673368042634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-48302828399982068082013-03-22T12:13:01.661-05:002013-03-22T12:13:01.661-05:00Dark matter and dark energy may (in my opinion do)...<i>Dark matter and dark energy may (in my opinion do) represent limitations in our current descriptions of gravity and spacetime, but they most definitely have observational consequences and are directly tested all the time.</i><br /><br />Dark Matter and Dark Energy are not measurable, nor testable. No experiments have ever been designed to prove their existance. What you describe as observational consequences are actually observational anomalies which are explained using DM and DE.<br /><br />They are postulations used to explain the unknown, just as phlogiston, or epicycles, etc....Brew Masterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07568809558055900016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-89835976052781352132013-03-22T11:47:35.046-05:002013-03-22T11:47:35.046-05:00There is also a solid reason to fund this. Cosmolo...There is also a solid reason to fund this. Cosmological experiments are the ones that discovered that dark energy (whatever its form) must exist. This indicates a significant challenge to our current theories of gravity and the composition of the universe. To say that shouldn't be funded is like saying that you are fine with the Newton guys' stuff in your everyday life so why follow up on that Einstein fellow?CyndiFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05405982629283290587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-31603688840871234822013-03-22T11:42:41.183-05:002013-03-22T11:42:41.183-05:00"..Dark Matter and Dark Energy are akin to ph...<i>"..Dark Matter and Dark Energy are akin to phlogiston, completely unfalsifiable by observation, but used in a sort of magical handwave to explain the gaping holes in the current theory. For dark matter, that being the fact that observable mass in galaxies is not enough to hold them together structurally. Therefore.... Phlogiston!</i><br /><br />This is incorrect. Dark matter and dark energy may (in my opinion do) represent limitations in our current descriptions of gravity and spacetime, but they most definitely have observational consequences and are directly tested all the time. They are also highly falsifiable. There is a difference between "we don't understand this yet" and "we just made it up."CyndiFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05405982629283290587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-86532316256176724452013-03-22T11:26:27.475-05:002013-03-22T11:26:27.475-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.traditionalguyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05706120413005530014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-90507786560388700902013-03-22T10:46:28.893-05:002013-03-22T10:46:28.893-05:00
Why is one theory more plausible than another?
B...<br />Why is one theory more plausible than another?<br /><br />Because one is measurable and therefore subject to proof.<br /><br />Rustyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00938263272237104128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-83404660988617068942013-03-22T10:30:10.019-05:002013-03-22T10:30:10.019-05:00Astronomers released the latest and most exquisite...<i>Astronomers released the latest and most exquisite baby picture yet of the universe ...."</i><br /><br />Lucky for us God decided not to abort this baby.Nomennovumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15661874416886153923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-4195784190609782822013-03-22T09:31:49.004-05:002013-03-22T09:31:49.004-05:00Before the universe and the big bang theory, there...Before the universe and the big bang theory, there was God.AllenShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08848966772462502893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-12170091942208833012013-03-22T09:30:43.281-05:002013-03-22T09:30:43.281-05:00"..Dark Matter and Dark Energy are akin to ph..."..Dark Matter and Dark Energy are akin to phlogiston, completely unfalsifiable by observation, but used in a sort of magical handwave to explain the gaping holes in the current theory. For dark matter, that being the fact that observable mass in galaxies is not enough to hold them together structurally. Therefore.... Phlogiston!<br /><br />Dark energy is used to explain away the fact that the big bang theory breaks down on the rate of expansion of the universe. Something has to exist to make the rate of expansion variable, viola Dark Energy..."<br />______________________________<br /><br />I've been thinking the same thing.<br />For all of its sophistication, cosmology has some real medieval contrivances in it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-64679374706117003102013-03-22T09:24:49.700-05:002013-03-22T09:24:49.700-05:00This is the most complicated baby formula ever.This is the most complicated baby formula ever.Lem the artificially intelligent https://www.blogger.com/profile/03569712564034666751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-34951059520387425482013-03-22T09:24:49.079-05:002013-03-22T09:24:49.079-05:00Time is God's way of making sure that everythi...Time is God's way of making sure that everything doesn't happen all at once.Eric the Fruit Bathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11003976042428037836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-6708386051533416802013-03-22T09:19:01.512-05:002013-03-22T09:19:01.512-05:00Tongue planted firmly in cheek:
Revenant said... ...Tongue planted firmly in cheek:<br /><br /><i>Revenant said... <br /><br />"Red shift" and "it is moving away from us" are the same thing, Brew. :) </i><br /><br />Not quite the same thing, the movement is used as a postulate to explain the red shift. This is a very geocentric perspective that everything is moving away from us, in other words, we are the at the center of everything... for some reason I think we've heard this in the past, somewhere, sometime....<br /><br />Dark Matter and Dark Energy are akin to phlogiston, completely unfalsifiable by observation, but used in a sort of magical handwave to explain the gaping holes in the current theory. For dark matter, that being the fact that observable mass in galaxies is not enough to hold them together structurally. Therefore.... Phlogiston!<br /><br />Dark energy is used to explain away the fact that the big bang theory breaks down on the rate of expansion of the universe. Something has to exist to make the rate of expansion variable, viola Dark Energy.<br /><br />But hey, a variable speed of light is magical thinking, but Dark Matter and Dark Energy, solid facts!<br /><br />Capsule summary: Dark Energy must exist because the universe is not expanding at an even rate, nor is there enough observable matter to hold things together by current known laws of gravity. Therefore 'a wizard did it'.<br /><br /><i>"There's matter out there causing that gravitational attraction, we just haven't found it yet" is comparatively easy to grasp. </i><br /><br />Add as well to this that said matter does not have any electrical charge, nor does it absorb, emit, or reflect light in any way, in fact it doesn't interact with the universe at all, other than it somehow makes up the difference between our theory of gravity, and the observable universe.<br /><br />A thought experiement, is there a functional difference between an expanding universe, and one where all matter is actually shrinking? In the second scenario, where the fundamental building blocks of all matter are shrinking in size would have the same observable effects that we see with an expanding universe.<br /><br />Why is one theory more plausible than another?<br /><br />Remove Tongue:<br /><br /><i>Any given event either does or does not have a cause. A cause must, by definition, precede its effect. Thus if there are no "uncaused" events, the universe must be infinitely old and contain an infinite number of events.<br /><br />If the universe is infinitely old, by definition nothing precedes it and thus nothing can have caused it.</i><br /><br />This is what my original point references. This is the hardest concept for a human to understand, that due to our human experience we attempt to create beginnings and endings for everything we experience. It is nearly impossible for ones mind to grasp that the universe does not necessarily play by those rules.<br />A parallel to this is that geocentrism is a continual recurring theme within human society, which is also difficult to overcome.Brew Masterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07568809558055900016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-91747633549356276822013-03-22T09:14:22.746-05:002013-03-22T09:14:22.746-05:00Good luck ,Great post,love you!Thanks for the info...Good luck ,Great post,love you!Thanks for the info it had cleared out too many things in my mind. Your recommendations are really good.<br />http://valeria.reaperteamcan1.click2sell.eu <br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13818054932971870225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-54341186260016018432013-03-22T08:57:32.721-05:002013-03-22T08:57:32.721-05:00".... Any given event either does or does not...".... Any given event either does or does not have a cause. A cause must, by definition, precede its effect. Thus if there are no "uncaused" events, the universe must be infinitely old and contain an infinite number of events..."<br /><br />The universe's way of saying "I am that I am".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-90331611992714736412013-03-22T08:55:59.768-05:002013-03-22T08:55:59.768-05:00Naked Harry Reems Robot says:
The Source of These...Naked Harry Reems Robot says:<br /><br />The Source of These Materials was ever so slightly lopsided.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-6499008341116892412013-03-22T08:54:08.682-05:002013-03-22T08:54:08.682-05:00Naked Harry Reems Robot says:
Materials that were...Naked Harry Reems Robot says:<br /><br />Materials that were of the Inside became materials of the Outside, traveling at great speed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-58933658147651521702013-03-22T08:52:45.080-05:002013-03-22T08:52:45.080-05:00Naked Harry Reems Robot says:
I was there before ...Naked Harry Reems Robot says:<br /><br />I was there before the Big Dumpster.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-51197171970643980272013-03-22T08:51:53.397-05:002013-03-22T08:51:53.397-05:00Naked Harry Reems Robot says:
I made all of this....Naked Harry Reems Robot says:<br /><br />I made all of this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-68404197460716970242013-03-22T08:50:54.585-05:002013-03-22T08:50:54.585-05:00"I'm not disagreeing, nor am I religious,...<i>"I'm not disagreeing, nor am I religious, but you do choose that, just like everyone else, based on what you prefer, rather than any evidence."</i> <br /><br /><b><i>"That's a dumb thing to say."</i></b><br /><br />It's not something you need to feel defensive about. It's just true for us all. Consider your limitations. Refusing to is dumb.bagoh20https://www.blogger.com/profile/10915174575358413637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-10049315716497865482013-03-22T08:42:52.727-05:002013-03-22T08:42:52.727-05:00As long as "The God Particle" is everywh...As long as "The God Particle" is everywhere we're alright.ricpichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01321511130788764861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-54063203117622550882013-03-22T08:10:48.243-05:002013-03-22T08:10:48.243-05:00What caused the first singularity to explode, or e...What caused the first singularity to explode, or expand rapidly? Did internal pressure overcome gravity? Rustyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00938263272237104128noreply@blogger.com