tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post3662195972281664329..comments2023-09-27T07:44:19.769-04:00Comments on Sabine Hossenfelder: Backreaction: Hat Tip to Mme CurieSabine Hossenfelderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-3585421211587862982007-05-16T17:26:00.000-04:002007-05-16T17:26:00.000-04:00since my job requires I function in the mode think...since my job requires I function in the mode think-before-you-speak, I compensate that outside the office with speak-before-you-think. it's not always recommendable. (e.g. never be funny with an US border post. I've learned that lesson)Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-73108526759470831832007-05-16T17:13:00.000-04:002007-05-16T17:13:00.000-04:00You just cracked me up with the Playgirl comment. ...You just cracked me up with the Playgirl comment. :-) I'm not sure I'd have been quick and brave enough to say that.Rae Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10239791074376508016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-44901375996545474062007-05-15T15:53:00.000-04:002007-05-15T15:53:00.000-04:00Great post Bee, makes for great reading. Thanks!c...Great post Bee, makes for great reading. Thanks!<BR/><BR/>changchoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-62403577848404066162007-05-15T12:25:00.000-04:002007-05-15T12:25:00.000-04:00But seriously, there's as many kinds of intelligen...<I>But seriously, there's as many kinds of intelligence as there are intelligence tests.</I><BR/><BR/>Exactly! And so it is easy to be more intelligent than me in many dimensions (especially as I'm deficient in some :). So it wasn't really a very demanding requirement :)Arunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03451666670728177970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-23665078685535210972007-05-15T11:31:00.000-04:002007-05-15T11:31:00.000-04:00Hi Arun,ha! Thanks for the link, looks interesting...Hi Arun,<BR/><BR/>ha! Thanks for the link, looks interesting, will check it out (well. that means I put it on the pile with papers 'to be read')<BR/><BR/><I>1. We tend to look for the lost item near lamppost where there is light.<BR/><BR/>2. The search space for a theory of QG probably greatly increases and probably into what are very unfamiliar areas if it is not Lagrangian. But given things Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-78193052494105579172007-05-15T11:20:00.000-04:002007-05-15T11:20:00.000-04:00Hi Arun,Good, 'cause finding an intelligenter man ...Hi Arun,<BR/><BR/><I>Good, 'cause finding an intelligenter man might be a problem :) </I><BR/><BR/>Ah. I am intelligent enough to state that my husband is more intelligent than I am ;-) But seriously, there's as many kinds of intelligence as there are intelligence tests. If I go down the corridor I can't say Dr. X is more intelligent than Dr. Y. They are just - different. I mean, everybody has Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-42532009103123702532007-05-15T10:52:00.000-04:002007-05-15T10:52:00.000-04:00you get pissed off if the woman is not smarter tha...<I> you get pissed off if the woman is not smarter than you are? hmm. does that mean I'd be required to make intelligent conversation all the time? or is it sufficient if I scribble unidentifiable symbols on the napkin every now and then? As far as I am concerned, a man doesn't have to be terribly intelligent as long as he has a good sense of humor and can pick a decent red wine </I><BR/><BR/><BRAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-57986513185201086782007-05-15T07:40:00.000-04:002007-05-15T07:40:00.000-04:00http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/06120861. We tend to l...http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0612086<BR/><BR/>1. We tend to look for the lost item near lamppost where there is light.<BR/><BR/>2. The search space for a theory of QG probably greatly increases and probably into what are very unfamiliar areas if it is not Lagrangian. But given things like the cite above, perhaps it is impossible to rule out.Arunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03451666670728177970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-53973566366561446372007-05-15T01:01:00.000-04:002007-05-15T01:01:00.000-04:00From "The Devil's Dictionary"--Ambrose Bierce, aro...From "The Devil's Dictionary"--Ambrose Bierce, around 1900:<BR/>FEMALE, n.<BR/> One of the opposing, or unfair, sex.<BR/><BR/>WOMAN, n.<BR/><BR/> An animal usually living in the vicinity of Man, and having a rudimentary susceptibility to domestication. It is credited by many of the elder zoologists with a certain vestigial docility acquired in a former state of seclusion, but Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-29109300800407847262007-05-15T00:38:00.000-04:002007-05-15T00:38:00.000-04:00I've never been discrete. :DI've never been discrete. :DGarretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03136765358626033631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-22262737432625780872007-05-14T23:56:00.000-04:002007-05-14T23:56:00.000-04:00Hi Garrett,thanks... I should have checked my junk...Hi Garrett,<BR/><BR/>thanks... I should have checked <I>my</I> junk mail folder... <BR/><BR/>Yes, I too find Lagrangians pretty, that's why I am trying to find one. It just made me wonder what reasons we have to believe that there has to be one. Also, it's not so really pretty if you consider that the important thing actually isn't the Lagrangian but the action and that requires a volume integralSabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-37458746027954193002007-05-14T22:53:00.000-04:002007-05-14T22:53:00.000-04:00I think the main reason to believe in a Lagrangian...I think the main reason to believe in a Lagrangian is aesthetic. You know, they're pretty. Also, they're fundamental in both classical and quantum mechanics, based on the path integral formulation and Dirac quantization through Poisson brackets.<BR/><BR/>(Got your email around 1:3Opm PDT and sent a reply at 2:30)<BR/><BR/>I have lots of cool friends in LA if you end up needing a place to crash atGarretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03136765358626033631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-4483345517608902042007-05-14T22:47:00.000-04:002007-05-14T22:47:00.000-04:00Bee,If quantum gravity does NOT have a Lagrangian/...Bee,<BR/><BR/>If quantum gravity does NOT have a Lagrangian/Hamiltonian or path integral formulation, then how would one do quantum gravity in the first place?<BR/><BR/>Some old timers may try to argue that gravity may only be purely classical. (I don't have a reference handy, though I recall Freeman Dyson mentioning something like this).<BR/><BR/>Here's one paper which attempts to argue this Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-81075879512102893222007-05-14T22:09:00.000-04:002007-05-14T22:09:00.000-04:00As far as I am concerned, a man doesn't have to be...<I>As far as I am concerned, a man doesn't have to be terribly intelligent as long as he has a good sense of humor and can pick a decent red wine. </I><BR/><BR/>Good, 'cause finding an intelligenter man might be a problem :)Arunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03451666670728177970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-71817745571968429192007-05-14T21:32:00.000-04:002007-05-14T21:32:00.000-04:00PS: what if QG just doesn't have a Lagrangian form...PS: what if QG just doesn't have a Lagrangian formulation? are there reasons to believe it has?Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-73465197100159584732007-05-14T21:01:00.000-04:002007-05-14T21:01:00.000-04:00Hi Garrett,ah. another inverse problem. thanks. So...Hi Garrett,<BR/><BR/>ah. another inverse problem. thanks. Sometimes all it takes is a keyword... I think I could add a Lagrange multiplier, but it's too ugly. regarding winter, you have a point there. but I am a disaster when it comes to money (famous for misplacing a 1000 DM bill). it seems I am constantly broke. currently I have no idea how to book a hotel for LA next week since all of my Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-40509561197915587462007-05-14T20:56:00.000-04:002007-05-14T20:56:00.000-04:00The existence of a Lagrangian (and finding it) is ...The existence of a Lagrangian (and finding it) is called the <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse_problem_for_Lagrangian_mechanics" REL="nofollow">inverse problem</A>. It's old, and complicated, so don't feel too bad that it wasn't obvious. ;) And now you have a name to tell people what painful struggle you're working with this week.<BR/><BR/>You can do your job anywhere... and you spentGarretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03136765358626033631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-17118184880451636972007-05-14T20:29:00.000-04:002007-05-14T20:29:00.000-04:00Whoa, you're working out equations using a PEN? I ...<I>Whoa, you're working out equations using a PEN? I don't think I ever fill a page without flipping a few signs back and forth, usually repeatedly. If you use a pen... that breaks symmetry: you can change a - to a +, but there's no going back!</I><BR/><BR/>*sigh* you tell me. I've written two papers whose content is essentially a sign. but anyway, yes, I am pretty old fashioned I guess. In this Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-29108522490351118062007-05-14T20:15:00.000-04:002007-05-14T20:15:00.000-04:00you get pissed off if the woman is not smarter tha...you get pissed off if the woman is not smarter than you are? hmm. does that mean I'd be required to make intelligent conversation all the time? or is it sufficient if I scribble unidentifiable symbols on the napkin every now and then? As far as I am concerned, a man doesn't have to be terribly intelligent as long as he has a good sense of humor and can pick a decent red wine. best,<BR/><BR/>B.Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-63472434940137443142007-05-14T20:08:00.000-04:002007-05-14T20:08:00.000-04:00men get easily pissed off when they notice the wom...<I>men get easily pissed off when they notice the woman they are talking to is smarter than they are</I><BR/><BR/>LOL! I get pissed off if they're not!Arunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03451666670728177970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-5114202194766854782007-05-14T16:15:00.000-04:002007-05-14T16:15:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.dsfqfsqdqfdsdfqshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05657957225090456911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-78209700908967276422007-05-14T15:12:00.000-04:002007-05-14T15:12:00.000-04:00Whoa, you're working out equations using a PEN? I ...Whoa, you're working out equations using a PEN? I don't think I ever fill a page without flipping a few signs back and forth, usually repeatedly. If you use a pen... that breaks symmetry: you can change a - to a +, but there's no going back!<BR/><BR/>If you're that good with signs, you could make a quick $100 over here: <A HREF="http://fqxi.org/community/forum.php?action=topic&id=44" REL="Garretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03136765358626033631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-31457349789693251312007-05-14T13:22:00.000-04:002007-05-14T13:22:00.000-04:00Hi fh,:-) I too know how to fix all kinds of appli...Hi fh,<BR/><BR/>:-) I too know how to fix all kinds of appliances in my apartment. It requires punching ten digits and yelling at my landlord. Always works. <BR/><BR/>Best,<BR/><BR/>B.Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-48030766717863973992007-05-14T13:19:00.000-04:002007-05-14T13:19:00.000-04:00Hi Cynthia,you think so? I am not much into blond ...Hi Cynthia,<BR/><BR/>you think so? I am not much into blond guys and he exceeds my age limit. oh, and I am married, right. will make sure to wear my wedding band next time. <BR/><BR/>Hi Donna,<BR/><BR/>I don't have the impression that's specific for American society, it's essentially the same in most places in Europe. But yes, I had to realize repeatedly that men get easily pissed off when they Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-67915661605095195622007-05-14T13:02:00.000-04:002007-05-14T13:02:00.000-04:00Bee: Now I'm no expert on men, but it seems to me ...Bee: Now I'm no expert on men, but it seems to me that this blond guy wants you to rub-off on him. In fact, he might even have the hots for you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com