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comment by ooli
ooli  ·  2111 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: This Quantum Theory Predicts That The Future Might Be Influencing The Past

But nobody argue we waste our best living mind on football?





user-inactivated  ·  2111 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I personally found it funny that I saw both articles within the span of five minutes, so I felt compelled to share. :)

As for your comparison, while I think there's room for both science and sports, I actually agree with you to an extent. I am starting to think that we should become a bit more aware of how we consume culture, whether it's sports, music, movies, video games, what have you, for many reasons. For instance, I worry that sometimes they distract us from committing ourselves to personal and social development. If for example, I stay home and play video games and read comics all day, the activity prevents me from furthering my personal education, developing skills and talents, and going out in the world and being an active, positive presence in my community. Or, as another example, say I'm so invested in the success of a sports team or the stories of a fictional series that I start to form my identity around them. While I think it's important to be able to identify with things, we should understand that we shouldn't let things identify us and when we start to express aspects of tribalism around these things, we're allowing our passions and interests take us into unhealthy areas.

So I don't know if you were attempting to be hyperbolic, but I do see some merit in the argument. After all, we all can't be scientists, but we can all be bigger than what we think we're capable of, and we need to stop and consider what might be holding us back and why.

ooli  ·  2111 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I'm more shallow than you gave me credit. I just consider that "wasting time" is pretty cool (especially when it's about time travel).

Newton wrote twice as much about Alchemy than Physics. We can regret the fact that he wasted so much time on immortality and gold transmutation, or may be.. Newton would not have found anything in Physics if he wasn't so obsessed with Alchemy.

So I guess, let's enjoy our video game and comics readings, it might bear fruits we wont reach otherwise

user-inactivated  ·  2110 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    I'm more shallow than you gave me credit.

Nah, I just think too much.

    Newton wrote twice as much about Alchemy than Physics. We can regret the fact that he wasted so much time on immortality and gold transmutation, or may be.. Newton would not have found anything in Physics if he wasn't so obsessed with Alchemy.

I think the counter argument you're trying to make, and what would actually be the counter argument to the article I shared, is that there are more "dead ends" in science than "discoveries" but we don't always know where paths will lead unless we decide to explore them.

In regards to Alchemy in particular, I sometimes wonder if that's something we could consider re exploring, what with a more developed knowledge of math and physics and fusion and fission and such.

    So I guess, let's enjoy our video game and comics readings, it might bear fruits we wont reach otherwise

I'm not saying we shouldn't, but I also think we should be more careful to the extent that we pursue these things and try to better understand how they can affect us.

Devac  ·  2110 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Alchemists contributed to science and I read somewhere that a lot of their mysticism or metaphorical language was a result of secrecy. But they operated under a flawed paradigm. Alchemy was big on the idea of using a small portion of something (usually gold) as a seed which would take surrounding matter and transform it into the desired material (usually gold :P). Like a seed turning air, water and soil into a plant because it's a seed and that's the end of that. With enough metaphor behind it, it's true. But it doesn't answer any "why?".

Do you know about the tin pest? If not, it's the type of tin that comes to be from normal tin exposed to low temperatures. It possesses a fascinating property: if you put even a tiny bit of tin pest on a brick of white tin, all of it will slowly turn into the pest form. Also, heat could revert the process. It wasn't insane to think there could be such seeds for other materials.

Alchemy had its time. Reimagining it with modern science isn't likely (or IMO possible), even though all the lingo physicists use could make you think they strive for the same secrecy alchemists wanted. ;)

tacocat  ·  2109 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Devac  ·  2109 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I know. It was even mentioned, like, two posts above.

tacocat  ·  2109 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Then I guess I discovered a flaw in hubski in that you can find comments in People and Chatter to reply to without larger context

user-inactivated  ·  2110 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    Reimagining it with modern science isn't likely (or IMO possible)

If, one day, you'll find a prominent neo-alchemist theory enjoying a following online... I'm so terribly sorry.

Devac  ·  2110 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Eh. I have to be already pissed off about something else to be really bothered by pseudoscience being close to mainstream at times.

Also, while alchemy itself is basically dead, it's influence carried over in aspects of astrology, hermetic traditions (possibly including Wicca?), alternative medicine and various spiritualists things. Those already have a following, tend to stretch and misunderstand legit science. Face it, you can't eradicate something that offers easy answers and gives you an excuse to wear a cape or cloak.

user-inactivated  ·  2110 days ago  ·  link  ·