by Ann » Wed Apr 12, 2017 9:07 pm
This is how I see it. The universe is what it is and does what it does. My views on it, and my heartfelt hopes for it, will not change the nature or the evolution of the universe in the slightest.
The universe most certainly won't oblige to the majority view. It will not change its properties in order to suit any kind of human consensus. Therefore the majority view of the universe might be right, or it might be wrong.
Personally I have a lot of respect for the majority view in astronomy, nevertheless. That is due to the fact that I, in spite of my extremely shaky mathematics, can see how the majority view has been won through an extremely long, tedious, grueling, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes definitely biased but mostly extremely honest struggle to learn the truth about the cosmos. Astronomers have typically been open and honest about their views, hypotheses and methods in learning about the universe. Those who hold a minority view have been able to find the weak points in the line of arguments of those who stick to the mainstream view, and the "minority-champions" have been able (at least sometimes) to use cutting-edge equipment, such as large telescopes and powerful computers, to test their own hypotheses and try to prove the majority wrong. And, as I said, the huge majority of the astronomers have been open and honest about their hypotheses, their methods and their results.
I think that astronomy is great and wonderful. I think that it is science in, perhaps, its purest form. That doesn't necessarily mean that the majority view about the universe is "correct". And people who believe in other models of the universe may be more correct than the majority, for all I know.
But in many cases those who champion minority views will not have arrived at their convictions through honest hard work in the field of astronomy. Therefore, even though they may be more correct about the universe than those who hold the majority view, simply because the universe itself doesn't care one way or another, these "minority champions" will not have come by their knowledge in a rigorously scientific way.
The universe doesn't care either way. But personally I love to follow the work of the scientists, those who work so hard and follow all the rules as they try to expand humanity's knowledge about the universe. I love to see where they will take me and anyone else who wants to come along for the ride when they grapple with the mystery of the universe.
Ann
This is how I see it. The universe is what it is and does what it does. My views on it, and my heartfelt hopes for it, will not change the nature or the evolution of the universe in the slightest.
The universe most certainly won't oblige to the majority view. It will not change its properties in order to suit any kind of human consensus. Therefore the majority view of the universe might be right, or it might be wrong.
Personally I have a lot of respect for the majority view in astronomy, nevertheless. That is due to the fact that I, in spite of my extremely shaky mathematics, can see how the majority view has been won through an extremely long, tedious, grueling, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes definitely biased but mostly extremely honest struggle to learn the truth about the cosmos. Astronomers have typically been open and honest about their views, hypotheses and methods in learning about the universe. Those who hold a minority view have been able to find the weak points in the line of arguments of those who stick to the mainstream view, and the "minority-champions" have been able (at least sometimes) to use cutting-edge equipment, such as large telescopes and powerful computers, to test their own hypotheses and try to prove the majority wrong. And, as I said, the huge majority of the astronomers have been open and honest about their hypotheses, their methods and their results.
I think that astronomy is great and wonderful. I think that it is science in, perhaps, its purest form. That doesn't necessarily mean that the majority view about the universe is "correct". And people who believe in other models of the universe may be more correct than the majority, for all I know.
But in many cases those who champion minority views will not have arrived at their convictions through honest hard work in the field of astronomy. Therefore, even though they may be more correct about the universe than those who hold the majority view, simply because the universe itself doesn't care one way or another, these "minority champions" will not have come by their knowledge in a rigorously scientific way.
The universe doesn't care either way. But personally I love to follow the work of the scientists, those who work so hard and follow all the rules as they try to expand humanity's knowledge about the universe. I love to see where they will take me and anyone else who wants to come along for the ride when they grapple with the mystery of the universe.
Ann