Observations From Hadleyville: "SCIENCE" IS NEVER "SETTLED"

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

"SCIENCE" IS NEVER "SETTLED"

3 comments:

Eric said...: Sorry, Don, I have a lot of trouble with this. No scientist I know of ever thought the earth was flat. I believe it was the church that clung to the ideas of the earth as the center of the universe and heavier bodies falling faster than lighter, not science. The investigation of matter's properties along with the discovery of atomic and sub-atomic particles is a long history which the cartoon totally mis-represents.

And yes, science never is "settled". The true scientist accepts with awe and humility the amazing things we've learned while also realizing the ever present possibility that one's current ideas can be proven wrong. I believe that is a strength that theologians (as well as politicians and people in general) would do well to learn from.; December 23, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Don the Baptist said...: You're getting feisty in your old age; December 23, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Don the Baptist said...: I just thought it was funny.; December 23, 2009 at 1:27 PM

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WORDS OF WISDOM FOR WRITERS

The secret of becoming a writer is that you have to write. You have to write a lot. You also have to finish what you write, even though no one wants it yet. If you don't learn to finish your work, no one will ever want to see it. The biggest mistake new writers make is carrying around copies of unfinished work to inflict on their friends.

I am sure it has been done with less, but you should be prepared to write and throw away a million words of finished material. By finished, I mean completed, done, ready to submit, and written as well as you know how at the time you wrote it.
-Jerry Pournelle

WHAT'S THIS HADLEYVILLE THING?

Those of you familiar with Mark Twain’s works might recognize my blog title. As Samuel Clemons grew older, he became increasingly disillusioned with humanity. Towards the end he began referring to the Damned Human Race; employing the secular and religious epithet at one stroke.

I find I’ve not reached that level of despair myself. I still believe in redemption and I still see signs of nobility even among we fallen, damned creatures. So, I could not bring myself to call this blog “On the Damned Human Race.” I do however, resonate with another of Clemmons stories; “The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg.” And viola, there you have it. “Observations From Hadleyville.”