Phi for All

Why are you interested? Do you think it's made any differently than other drugs? Have there been any explosive results from users?

Science doesn't have to be intuitive, but it rarely has to contort itself so tortuously to fit an argument. I don't think you understand what Einstein means in this context. Science isn't about proof, it's about the most likely explanations based on available evidence. It's easy to show something is false by even one bit of true evidence that falsifies it, but we don't WANT to say something is MOST TRUE, beyond a shadow of a doubt, because then we stop looking for any other answers, and that defeats the purpose of the methodology.

I define faith as the absolute conviction in something that has no evidence to support its existence. That's what everyone of faith I've ever met tells me, that they believe in God with all their heart and soul, despite the fact that no one can prove His existence. To me, that's believing something that fits the occasion, a need for something beyond what we can observe as reality. Hope is more of a reality-based part of my belief system. I can hope that consciousness lives on after the death of the body, but it's not going to make me live my real life any differently. Hope gives me all the warm fuzzies that some people gain from their faith, but it's not trying to pretend that I actually KNOW something that I can't. Trust is the best part of my belief system. It's based on the best available explanation of various phenomena. It's NOT believing in anything that fits the occasion, it's the exact opposite. Trust is having firm ground to walk on and not pretending that all that silly leaping makes me somehow a smarter, better person than everyone else.

Sounds like a manufactured controversy. I don't agree that we're supposed to chew through this because you're confused.

I think it was an attempt to make the question look stupid that backfired on the person who answered. Before I wrote, "These are serious goals, please", I was worried someone would post a thread-killer like that, and then I wondered if writing that would actually attract someone to do it. I should have left it alone. Thanks for the serious reply, iNow. Very much what I was hoping for. If no one else responds, you get my write-in vote.

Math is more of the language of science than a science itself. Mathematical proofs can actually be thought of as true, where science deals in theory which, by the nature of the scientific method, can't be thought of in such absolute, certain terms. Theories need to be tested and added to constantly, and using them to make predictions that lead to more understanding, so it thwarts the whole concept to think, "Oh, we've got this one 100%, time to move on!" Certainly, a theory is the best you can get in science, and shouldn't be thought of as "only a theory" (as so many people do these days). A scientific theory represents the most supported explanation available, one that can be trusted because those "doing science" in this way are following the best methodology the human species has ever come up with to seek explanations for how our universe works.

I think the simplest solution is to tap a hole in the center of those disks and thread a machine screw in it (solder the base to seal it for suction). Make sure the screw is long enough to give you something to grab onto with your fingers. Alternatively, I wonder if you could use a small engine valve to do the same thing. They're probably going to run about $3-$10 each, but would be sturdier and can be used right out of the box. If you want to go really cheap, an 11/16" ash dowel rod would fit the dime-sized holes and could be cut long enough to give you a grip and be light enough not to fall out by themselves. You may need to glue some kind of thin rubber or vinyl disks to them for a good seal.

The neo-conservative movement seems like a more appropriate choice. So many Iraqis in so little time. A very telling non sequitur.

Warning! Warning! Danger, Will Robinson! Danger! Seriously, if you think Da Vinci worked alone, why are you asking for help here? Who is testing your shields? How are you testing them for micrometeor encounters? How are you going to avoid running into satellites and debris in LEO? How will the world feel when you endanger some of the really expensive and hard to maintain stuff in GEO? Determination and drive are great things, but humans didn't get where they are technologically by working alone.

It should be noted that anyone who claims they're going to "prove" anything to you isn't doing science. Math deals in proofs, science deals in theory backed up by supportive evidence to provide the most trustworthy explanations for various phenomena. That's why I trust in the Big Bang Theory. It has the most supportive evidence, and fits well with other cosmological theories, making it the most likely explanation while still being subject to refinement and change. True that evolution has nothing to do with creation, false that it shows how life becomes more complicated. Evolution is the change in allele frequency within a population over time. Many single-celled organisms haven't grown more complicated, also viruses and parasites. And change doesn't have to be more complicated, just better adapted to an environment. Not in any official capacity, since I'm involved in this discussion, but I would advise everyone to stop bringing up evolution in this thread since it's off-topic and will probably get snipped or moved by another Moderator.

So you're using permanent magnets, but need an electromagnet strong enough to do the same job? Is this correct? What holds the disks in place, just the suction? What if you could rig something that would push the disks off the holes, using something like a coin-changer mechanism? I'm not sure if this device slides the coins sideways (the way you'd need it to) or just drops a coin, but there should be something you could use that doesn't involve magnets. A small nail puller would be easier than what you're describing.

What on earth makes you think you're going to get "the answer soon"? What kind of "proof" do you think would convince "the world"? I think we need some rule changes in Religion/Philosophy. There are an AWFUL lot of agenda-oriented people lately who consider creation fun and interesting.

Due to an extremely clever viral video, your name gets written in on enough ballots to win the US presidency ( I know!). It was a total fluke, but now you're in and The People realize they know nothing about your plans for your administration (if you're ineligible for the US presidency, assume the same scenario but you're the Chief of Staff for the new president and are actually the "power behind the throne"). Congress is going to be very difficult for you to work with. However, you do have enough political capital (because of the way you were elected) to get three major goals accomplished in the four years you've got. These are serious goals, please. There may be many other things you can try to accomplish, but these three are practically guaranteed to happen. Choose from Economy, Education, Energy, Environment, Foreign Policy, Health Care, National Security, Political Reform, Social Security, Taxes or something else you feel needs changing. How would you invest the political capital you have? What would your goals be, in 1-2-3 order?

QFT. If you make it about fighting religion, you create martyrs that cause ten to spring up for every one you destroy. Even if you could destroy everyone in an entire region, someone on the other side of the globe will see it as an injustice and rally yet more followers. Their is no way to end the war on terror by military means. It's an ideological war that needs to be won with better ideas. The only way to win is to educate them. Every parent wants their child to have a better chance than they did, so I'd start with the children. Infant mortality rates in these areas is horrible. Start small, teach mothers about hygiene and how to keep water and wounds clean. When that works for them, they'll be more amenable to further learning.

Can you give some examples of the kind of posts that prompted your anxiety?

I've been guilty of Here-sy for some time now. I've often wondered why people spend so much time on unanswerable questions like "Why are we here?", but it seems clear that you need to ask the question enough times to finally realize that it really doesn't matter why. You just accept that you're here so you can start focusing on what you're going to do about it. Much more meaningful and rewarding for everyone.

Another couple of threads on this might help: http://www.scienceforums.net/topic/64539-earth-hole/page__p__660289__hl__%2Bearth+%2Bhole__fromsearch__1#entry660289 http://www.scienceforums.net/topic/20566-why-wouldnt-hole-through-earth-work/page__hl__%2Bhole+%2Bhalfway+%2Bthrough+%2Bthe+%2Bearth

It seems clear to me that freedom, or individual liberty, needs to go hand-in-hand with social conscience to make a strong America. Both are worth less alone, since you can have all the individual liberty you want and then fail without the infrastructure made possible by our social system. And all the infrastructure in the word won't help if you aren't free to take advantage of what your fellow citizens have helped make possible. Sometimes it seems that the people who made a fuss about Obama's "You didn't build that" statement are making the assumption that, because the roads and libraries are already there, they owe nothing more to the social system. "So what, if a person makes it somewhere in life due to the people who have helped or inspired them", you say, and I say that should NEVER be the attitude we as Americans hold. Helping and inspiring each other, contributing your part to help your society is not only what made this country great, it's one of the things that has helped humans accomplish what we have as a species. Perhaps that's the greatest freedom of all.

Is your confusion real or feigned? I understand if you're trying to avoid answering my questions, but if you 're going to quote me, you should align your part of the conversation accordingly, and actually respond to what I asked in the part you quoted.

I don't think this is a very good answer to Moontanman's question, why you think Jefferson considered Christianity to be the preferred, constitutional religion (or "The familiar and constitutional Christianity..." as you put it). Wasn't it purposely stated that the government derives from the People, and not from a deity? And while Jefferson didn't want the government to interfere in religion, wasn't it equally as important that the government NOT be influenced by ANY church?

I would amend that to, "We are here. It doesn't matter why." That way, when you try to make life better, you aren't the only one trying.

Did you call back the next night like he asked you to?

! Moderator Note Not an official proclamation at this point, and I'm not really singling you out personally for this immortal (so please don't respond to this here, please), but I ask you ALL to note that this posting style, putting in some links with absolutely no personal input, is inimical to the purposes of a discussion forum. You wouldn't just hand someone a newspaper article without another word in the middle of a conversation, and it's not really appropriate here either. In the future, I think we're going to start requiring that everyone say at least SOMETHING to limit the amount of link reading we're asking people to do.

No, it's really not. The default would be, "From everything we can observe, we can say with a great deal of confidence that physics holds true everywhere." Well, that would be wrong. No scientist I know would make an absolute, generalized assertion like that. MUST be false is often easy to show, MUST be true is contrary to the scientific method. We have no way of testing such a thing.

Bottom line, your almond oil isn't going to get into the bloodstream through your skin. On the other hand, the moisturizer you've been using is probably also a "natural" product, since chemicals do occur naturally. And it has the advantage of being designed to do one thing, moisturize your skin.