(April 16, 2016 at 3:07 pm)TheRocketSurgeon Wrote:(April 16, 2016 at 2:54 pm)RoadRunner79 Wrote: Did you finish counting to infinity already?
I didn't really see anything in those articles that refutes the idea that an actual infinity is not possible. But, I would be happy to discuss any of the arguments that you think are superior.
Your birthday problem is interesting. I only looked at it quickly, but off hand, it seems that we are still left, with who has the better reasons for their claim. In any case, it would seem that by your argument, that while the scientist expertise, would make them better at collecting the data, forming theories, and making hypothesis, that the logical induction based on those, would be better suited to those whose expertise is in logic.
I am an electrical engineer. A large part of my job is to program and troubleshoot machine controls. I have learned over the years, to always listen to the operators. I do this as part of the investigative process, and for diagnostics. I often explain to them, what I am finding, and quite often have had them tell me, that they have no clue what I am talking about. Yet there have been a number of times, that right after telling me this, they come up with a good idea, as to how to solve the problem.... There are also those who will get stuck on their theory, and not listen to the reasons I give for why that is not the case. Similarly; I have seen good maintenance people shut down, by people with a piece of paper who think they know better, because of that certification. They ignore reason, and often to their detriment.
This is a well-described problem/issue in human nature; it's also why Peer Review is probably the single most important part of science.
I understand the value in peer review, but also I am aware of it's flaws. I don't think that acceptance by a peer review publication makes something scientific or not. There are many articles that pass peer review and then are retracted. Some are peer reviewed and by their nature non-repeatable. And people have won noble prizes, who where rejected by peer review for the very work they won the accommodation for in science. I don't think that peer review is magic pixie dust, where acceptance means that all of the sudden science begins.