[meteorite-list] Good advice for students

[christopher sharp]

Hi list,

I think it was Einstein that said God would have to have been a
mathematician.

When you run across some of the simple but fundamental equations in science
its possible to get an inkling of why he said it.

Interestingly the simple equations often seem to be the most powerful and
sweeping in their application.

CAS
 



[meteorite-list] Good advice for students
Rob Matson mojave_meteorites at cox.net 
Fri May 13 02:46:52 EDT 2005 


Hi Dirk and List,

> It is the dreamers, the ones that ask "foolish" questions, the
> searchers/seekers that find the answers.  The ones that have all
> of the answers NEVER will make progress for mankind or themselves.
> ... I always encourage my students to ask, question and think.

This is excellent advice for your students, and everyone in general.
Question authority, question the experts, and definitely question
consensus.  This is how science advances.  Next time you read the
words "scientific consensus", remember to treat it as an oxymoron.
Science isn't about popularity.  Scientific theories are testable.
Each test that a theory passes strengthens it, but theories can
never be "proven".  All it takes is one failure to disprove a
theory (or at least a facet of it).

That said, whenever someone tells me that evolution is "only
a theory", I reply, "Yes, you're right.  Just as relativity is
only a theory."  --Rob