tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post116695713955619633..comments2023-09-27T07:44:19.769-04:00Comments on Sabine Hossenfelder: Backreaction: The Satire strikes backSabine Hossenfelderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-4322173789656000702015-11-15T07:58:53.541-05:002015-11-15T07:58:53.541-05:00His essay on free will is especially scary. Now th...His essay on free will is especially scary. Now that he mocked and trashed the entire concept of time, I don't see how he can be trusted as a computation theorist anymore.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167263948008857192006-12-27T18:59:00.000-05:002006-12-27T18:59:00.000-05:00Gina's comments are blocked on my blog because she...Gina's comments are blocked on my blog because she was posting a large number of comments there, while most of the time clearly not understanding what she was writing about. At this point, in order to try and maintain some decent signal to noise ratio, a large number of people are similarly blocked. This has nothing to do with whether they agree or disagree with me, most of the people who are notevenwronghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05032274360567403443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167225884345306282006-12-27T08:24:00.000-05:002006-12-27T08:24:00.000-05:00Dear Gina:Why are you blocked on Peter Woit's and ...Dear Gina:<BR/><BR/>Why are you blocked on Peter Woit's and Lubos' blog?<BR/><BR/>As Stefan already said, I don't understand why you leave this comment here, as I think we've been pretty tolerant with Lubos sometimes just plain insulting reactions. <BR/><BR/>I've just read the comments over at NEW. I find it kind of weird to discuss somebodies alleged psychological problems publicly. <BR/><BR/>Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167220826441677592006-12-27T07:00:00.000-05:002006-12-27T07:00:00.000-05:00Dear Stefan,I posted this remark here because I th...Dear Stefan,<BR/><BR/>I posted this remark here because I thought this is in the spirit of Bee's approach who treats Lobos (and others) very fairly (so it was not a criticism at all), and also because I am blocked both on Woit's blog (where this comment really belonged) and on Lobos' own blog. I posted the remark at all because I was genuinly worried (regarding point 3) ). (But maybe this is Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167218616737776012006-12-27T06:23:00.000-05:002006-12-27T06:23:00.000-05:00Dear Gina,thanks for your comments, but I do not s...Dear Gina,<BR/><BR/>thanks for your comments, but I do not see why you post them here - this is not really the right place for this kind of discussion. <BR/><BR/>Just a short comment: I guess nobody would reasonably argue about your points 2), 4), and 5). As for tolerance: Bee has, in my opinion, always been very tolerant against the sometimes quite offensive manners of Lubos. We have discussed stefanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09495628046446378453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167165029842522502006-12-26T15:30:00.000-05:002006-12-26T15:30:00.000-05:00Dear Bee, In the context of this 'sting war' I wou...Dear Bee, In the context of this 'sting war' I would like to say a few unconventional things about Lubos Motl. The string war is not really really a war but from all participants I am afraid that Lubos may turn to be a real victim.<BR/><BR/>1) Lubos deserves tolerance. Some of his views are outrages, but some just seem to be so. Some of his outrages views as misguided as they are, look Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167155318348435042006-12-26T12:48:00.000-05:002006-12-26T12:48:00.000-05:00Dear Geordie,I agree with you. If you read careful...Dear Geordie,<BR/><BR/>I agree with you. If you read carefully what I wrote you'll find that I suggest young researchers should have the option to work on their own ideas, not that all research exclusively has to be done this way. Neither did I say that work on their own ideas means they are supposed to work alone. <BR/><BR/>You are of course right that collaborations are an essential part of Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167154819578733432006-12-26T12:40:00.000-05:002006-12-26T12:40:00.000-05:00Bee: There are a large number of critically import...Bee: There are a large number of critically important basic research questions that can't be handled by individuals acting alone or in small groups. The idea that individuals "should" choose projects to work on based solely on their own ideas ignores this basic fact.<BR/><BR/>There are lots of examples of this. Any long-term basic research on a big problem that has a technological angle (such as Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167131997522842092006-12-26T06:19:00.000-05:002006-12-26T06:19:00.000-05:00Hi Arun,*harhar*. Whoever made this didn't get the...Hi Arun,<BR/><BR/>*harhar*. Whoever made this didn't get the important point, that is exponential growth. The diagram should look somewhat like this<BR/><BR/>1) Pick problem. If no problem is around, make one. -> 2) Give problem a fancy name and explain why this is the most challenging problem for theoretical physics in the 21st century. -> 3) Attempt to solve problem by cooking up fancy theory Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167073836091106952006-12-25T14:10:00.000-05:002006-12-25T14:10:00.000-05:00????http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?co...????<BR/>http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=761<BR/>????Arunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03451666670728177970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167039105106868622006-12-25T04:31:00.000-05:002006-12-25T04:31:00.000-05:00Hi Anonymous...string research is financed by the ...Hi Anonymous...<BR/><BR/><I>string research is financed by the rules of communism.</I><BR/><BR/>I have no idea what you mean with that. In a certain regard, all of theoretical physics is financed like in communism given the fact that there's no private property of the means of productions (and what would that be? Our brains?) and that we indeed aren't selling our theories on the stock market. Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167022985213302182006-12-25T00:03:00.000-05:002006-12-25T00:03:00.000-05:00Hi Bee,I agree with your take on Scott's offer.Acc...Hi Bee,<BR/><BR/>I agree with your take on Scott's offer.<BR/><BR/>According a Cal Tech colleague, Richard Feynman never joked about physics. Once he was scheduled to give a talk, but left on a Mexico vacation before giving the title. The department needed something to put on the program, and the colleague knew what Feynman was talking about. So he gave them a clever title to use, which was Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167022525999003712006-12-24T23:55:00.000-05:002006-12-24T23:55:00.000-05:00SH raises several very interesting points about th...SH raises several very interesting points about the malaise affecting the postdociverse, but I was most struck by the following: "On no front though, there's noticeable progress. Therefore, we found it's a good idea to start accusing each other of having failed, as to distract us from our every day work which isn't going anywhere."<BR/><BR/>Actually I think that this "not going anywhere" is the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167021003816920812006-12-24T23:30:00.000-05:002006-12-24T23:30:00.000-05:00As the 2nd anon, I support the first anon the Scot...As the 2nd anon, I support the first anon the Scott's comments are in jest and with a bit of sarcastism. I don't think his thinks his offer will be taken seriously, but he expects to generate his share of debate. Keeps his blog interesting. <BR/><BR/>The sociology issue is not due to capitalism seeping into string research. Indeed, it is the exact opposite - money is distributed based *not* on Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1167011312889506162006-12-24T20:48:00.000-05:002006-12-24T20:48:00.000-05:00Hi Anonymous,yes, the comments seems to have cross...Hi Anonymous,<BR/><BR/>yes, the comments seems to have crossed. <BR/><BR/><I>Of course if there was a shred of reality, that would be very different. </I><BR/><BR/>I don't think there's any reality in the above quotation regarding Scott's intentions - obviously his whole post was meant sarcastic. But there's unfortunately sufficient reality in the issue to concern me. As I also wrote above, Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1166997632311554722006-12-24T17:00:00.000-05:002006-12-24T17:00:00.000-05:00Bee, You seemed to address why you think it is a ...Bee,<BR/> You seemed to address why you think it is a bad joke in your last comment which got updated after I wrote my comment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1166997468271869392006-12-24T16:57:00.001-05:002006-12-24T16:57:00.001-05:00Dear Bee,I interpreted Scott's comment as a humoro...Dear Bee,<BR/><BR/>I interpreted Scott's comment as a humorous way of saying that he did not have conceding that he did not have the scientific expertise to have a real opinion on the issue. (I suspect that this is the case for the vast majority of people commenting on the 'wars' who are not technically involved... I will admit that is the case for me ... and I do not comment on the 'wars' Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1166997453287492832006-12-24T16:57:00.000-05:002006-12-24T16:57:00.000-05:00since it reminds all too clearly the really bad an...<I>since it reminds all too clearly the really bad and unethical cases of "scientific expertise" bought by lobby groups</I><BR/><BR/>Indeed, that was what was circling in the back of my head. It's just not something one should make joke abouts. In the 21st century, too much depends on the layman's trust in the independence of experts. I know it's easy to forget in our everyday work, but being a Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1166995714958907502006-12-24T16:28:00.000-05:002006-12-24T16:28:00.000-05:00Dear Bee,that's a very nice and concise summary of...Dear Bee,<BR/><BR/><BR/>that's a very nice and concise summary of the debate about string theory! <BR/><BR/>However, concerning Scott Aaronsons's "indecent offer", I see this whole "affair" a bit differently. I have the impression that Scott sees the whole debate from an outsider's point of view, and that the different camps to whom he wants to offer his views for sale - as he writes in a stefanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09495628046446378453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1166990442378191172006-12-24T15:00:00.000-05:002006-12-24T15:00:00.000-05:00Hey Aaron,And, finally, of course, 'string wars' i...Hey Aaron,<BR/><BR/><I>And, finally, of course, 'string wars' is mine. All mine! </I><BR/><BR/>:-) You can have all of the string war. May the force be with you.<BR/><BR/><I>I don't think that's fair at all. Plenty of people read the book. </I><BR/><BR/>Yes, I admit it, I wasn't being really fair here. I was crudely exaggerating the situation, and actually contradicting myself, since I've pointedSabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1166981641140442682006-12-24T12:34:00.000-05:002006-12-24T12:34:00.000-05:00Merry Christmas! ;)Merry Christmas! ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1166979754469216872006-12-24T12:02:00.000-05:002006-12-24T12:02:00.000-05:00Dear Bee,Thank you for your reply. I must say that...Dear Bee,<BR/><BR/>Thank you for your reply. I must say that I am still puzzled by the blog environment and what it means. It is like a casual conversation on the one hand, and it is also public on the other. Probably the standards and requirements should also be somewhere in between. The response time is often too rapid to allow very thoughtful comments.<BR/><BR/>A requirement for participants Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1166978491090572542006-12-24T11:41:00.000-05:002006-12-24T11:41:00.000-05:00Hi Bee,your post at a point reminded me of a sente...Hi Bee,<BR/><BR/>your post at a point reminded me of a sentence from a university president:<BR/>"Now why does the physics department always requires funds for expensive equipment ? The department of mathematics only requires money for paper, pencils, and waste paper baskets. And the department of philosophy is better still - they do not even ask for waste paper baskets."<BR/><BR/>:)<BR/>Happy Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1166978270368077242006-12-24T11:37:00.000-05:002006-12-24T11:37:00.000-05:00Which is of course absolutely right, the problem h...<I>Which is of course absolutely right, the problem here being that hardly anyone read more of the book than the subtitle which contains the word 'string theory' in connection with 'fall of a science'.</I><BR/><BR/>I don't think that's fair at all. Plenty of people read the book. There was a long thread on the title, but that was hardly the only discussion about its contents. The book is, Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1166976588885583112006-12-24T11:09:00.000-05:002006-12-24T11:09:00.000-05:00Dear Gina,Thanks for your comment. Yes, as I had t...Dear Gina,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your comment. Yes, as I had to notice myself, especially in the blog scene sarcasm and cynicism is difficult to deal with responsibly. There are always people who don't really read or understand the context, and just take with them some few sentences. The paragraph from Scott that I quoted left a really bad taste in my mouth. I've had to many encounters with people Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.com