Whatya reading currently?

What was written by Miraja above is a huge problem in Science.
But writers like Asimov, Gould, Dawkins, are all writers
that have done real science. Same for Sagan. Even though
he got a little maudlin at times with the sci fi. Also RIP.

Sagan wrote a great book on what science is and is not
that should be read by all who like the power of logic and
reasoning, "The Demon Haunted World". Of course one could
conclude that the book is terribly flawed, look who recommends it.

[hockey2315]

Love Sagan. . . Have you read Smolin's "The Trouble with Physics"? I have it but can't decide if I feel like reading it yet. . .

Originally Posted by hockey2315

Love Sagan. . . Have you read Smolin's "The Trouble with Physics"? I have it but can't decide if I feel like reading it yet. . .

No. But now I am going to look it up.

I think the one I mentioned is Sagan's best nonfiction.
It really is so well written and reasoned out. Should
be required reading for all those that go to card-readers
or astrologists. And those probed by Aliens.

[hockey2315]

Originally Posted by pgardn

No. But now I am going to look it up.

it's anti-string theory. . .

Originally Posted by hockey2315

it's anti-string theory. . .

Yes I read about it.
The stuff is very difficult for me.
Quantum mechanics is also very difficult.
The big and the small end of Physics are tough
for things like us in the middle.

It really is just modeling based on some data
and lots of math. It is very counterintuitive to
our everday analogies. So much so that it is
given names that very often innaccurately portray
what the physicists are actually trying to get across.

As an example:
The word Wave in Physics is a very difficult concept.
It seems easy enough, water, waves, but E-M waves
are so much different. But its the best description...

acchhh its kind of like just naming phenomena automatically messes
up the real idea. I dont know if that makes any sense but it
does to a biochemistry guy turned physics teacher.

[hockey2315]

I know what you mean. . . string/m theory, quantum mechanics, etc... are very counterintuitive and hard to understand unless you're a theoretical physicist. . . I'm more concerned with the implications of those types of theories rather than the actual science because I'm a philosophy major. . .

Originally Posted by hockey2315

I know what you mean. . . string/m theory, quantum mechanics, etc... are very counterintuitive and hard to understand unless you're a theoretical physicist. . . I'm more concerned with the implications of those types of theories rather than the actual science because I'm a philosophy major. . .

Never took a Philosophy class and I curse myself.
Very cool stuff.

I have a few books by Bertrand Russell,
The History of Western Philosophy was one and it was very cumbersome
but very interesting. I was totally blown away that people were
thinking so deeply so far back. Huge misconception I had.
I was especially interested in the logic stuff. The civics
and way to govern stuff not as much. And then I read this
stuff about Kurt Goedel in a book called Pi in the Sky
and that just through me for a loop.

[hi_im_god]

Originally Posted by pgardn

No. But now I am going to look it up.

I think the one I mentioned is Sagan's best nonfiction.
It really is so well written and reasoned out. Should
be required reading for all those that go to card-readers
or astrologists. And those probed by Aliens.

demon haunted world should be required reading for all.

i'd add the two richard feynman books, "surely you're joking, mr feynman!" and "what do you care what other people think?".

the former for the head. the latter for the heart.

Originally Posted by hi_im_god

demon haunted world should be required reading for all.

i'd add the two richard feynman books, "surely you're joking, mr feynman!" and "what do you care what other people think?".

the former for the head. the latter for the heart.

This is getting a bit scary.
Richard Feynman is also really good.

This is sort of the reason I started this thread.
I knew people were out there ...

Horse Racing can attract some very diff. types.
Kinda weird. Im not sure why. Sort of artsy, sort
of science I guess. Just dont have the time to understand
as much as I should.

[Oaklawnfan]

Hawai'i Magazine. Man it really sends me out there. I love the stories about the Paniolo on Parker's Ranch. You know, they go to the sports bars at 7am their time to watch horse racing.