28 MAY 2013 by ideonexus
Beginnings of Speciation in Romantic Paintings
She wandered on her own, looking at the portraits. The big crowd scenes were too much for her, like epic movies all jammed into a single frame. The subjects of the portraits, on the other hand, looked at her with expressions she recognized immediately. “I am always me, I am always new, I am always me”—for eight centuries they had been saying it. Nothing but women and men. One woman had her left nipple exposed, just under the curve of a necklace; in most periods that would have been tran... 1 
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notesCharacter walking around an art museum.
09 MAY 2012 by ideonexus
No Need for Erroneous Assumptions in Science
The laws of nature, as we understand them, are the foundation of our knowledge in natural things. So much as we know of them has been developed by the successive energies of the highest intellects, exerted through many ages. After a most rigid and scrutinizing examination upon principle and trial, a definite expression has been given to them; they have become, as it were, our belief or trust. From day to day we still examine and test our expressions of them. We have no interest in their reten... 1 notes
notesAnd disproving an established law would be a great discovery for a scientist.
31 JAN 2012 by ideonexus
Scientific Revolution
Although few expressions are more commonly used in writing about science than 'science revolution,' there is a continuing debate as to the propriety of applying the concept and term 'revolution' to scientific change. There is, furthermore, a wide difference of opinion as to what may constitute a revolution. And although almost all historians would agree that a genuine alteration of an exceptionally radical nature (the Scientific Revolution) occurred in the sciences at some time between the la...Folksonomies: scientific revolution
Folksonomies: scientific revolution
1 notes
notesWhat is a revolution? What causes it? When did it begin? Scholars disagree on these matters.
28 JAN 2012 by ideonexus
Electrons Cannot Simultaneously Have Position and Velocity
On careful examination the physicist finds that in the sense in which he uses language no meaning at all can be attached to a physical concept which cannot ultimately be described in terms of some sort of measurement. A body has position only in so far as its position can be measured; if a position cannot in principle be measured, the concept of position applied to the body is meaningless, or in other words, a position of the body does not exist. Hence if both the position and velocity of ele... 1 notes
notesIf the characteristics cannot be measured, they do not exist; therefore, electrons cannot simultaneously have both position and velocity characteristics.
19 JAN 2012 by ideonexus
Mathematics as Magic
Who ... is not familiar with Maxwell's memoirs on his dynamical theory of gases? ... from one side enter the equations of state; from the other side, the equations of motion in a central field. Ever higher soars the chaos of formulae. Suddenly we hear, as from kettle drums, the four beats 'put n=5.' The evil spirit v vanishes; and ... that which had seemed insuperable has been overcome as if by a stroke of magic ... One result after another follows in quick succession till at last ... we arri...Folksonomies: wonder mathematics
Folksonomies: wonder mathematics
1 notes
notesLudwig Bolzmann describes working through Maxwell's dynamical theory of gases.
06 JUL 2011 by ideonexus
Babies Flirt
There are other reasons to think that even very young babies are especially tuned to people. Babies flirt. One of the great pleasures in life is to hold a three-month-old in your arms and talk absolute nonsense. "My, my, my," you hear your usually sane, responsible, professional voice saying, "you are a pretty bunny, aren't you, aren't you, aren't you, sweetums, aren't you a pretty bunny?" You raise your eyebrows and purse your mouth and make ridiculous faces. But the even more striking thing... 1 notes
notesThe back and forth of goo-goo eyes and cooing between mothers and their babies is a flirtatious bonding.
02 JAN 2011 by ideonexus
The Concept of Supervenience and the Web
One view is reminiscent of the philosophical idea of supervenience [168, 169]). One discourse or set of expressions A supervenes on another set B when a change in A entails a change in B but not vice versa. So, on a supervenience theory of the mind/brain, any change in mental state entails some change in brain state, but a change in brain state need not necessarily result in a change in mental state. Supervenience is a less strong concept than reduction (a reductionist theory of the mind/brai... 1 notes
notesWhere changes in one concept cascade into changes on another, but not vice versa.
