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International Conference "galileo Back In Italy Ii". 1999, Bologna, Italy


rhertz

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I'd like to share with you a finding of a post-conference discussion (using email) between several scientists (physicists

and mathematicians) about the rationality of relativity and quantum physics.

 

 

International Conference "Galileo Back in Italy - II"
For the Return of Rationality in Modern Physics
Bologna, Italy, 26-28 May 1999

 

As a result, the discussion followed after the conference. This link points to an exchange of mails between assistants:

 

http://www.cartesio-episteme.net/quest.htm

Edited by rhertz
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Seems this was an obscure crankfest, organised by Umberto Bartocci, a maths historian at Perugia.

 

The insinuation that "MSM" (mainstream media) suppressed it, due to its "sensitive" nature, betrays a mixture of paranoid conspiracy theory and a lack of understanding of how the media work and what interests them. 

 

That aside, there are some interesting remarks. It is certainly the case that there is a degree of disquiet about some directions in modern science. For example, Jim Baggott: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Baggott. in his "Farewell to Reality" complains (in my view rightly) that some aspects of theoretical physics have run so far ahead of observation that they cease to qualify as science and should really be treated as a kind of highly specialised mathematical metaphysics. (disclosure: Jim and I used to go drinking together when we were both at Shell and we used to debate QM. :)  ).

 

But that is a long way from the people at this conference. They seem preoccupied with proving Einstein either wrong or a charlatan, and moaning about QM. I think they will struggle. What is notable in my view is the apparent lack of observational evidence that SR or GR are wrong. When one sets this against the huge success these theories have had in accounting for observation, it seems no contest. The same goes for QM. Sure, people don't like the uncertainty principle (Einstein famously hated it) and sure people argue about the Copenhagen Interpretation. But QM works. Very well.

 

So it seems to me all one can say is that there are , as always in science, loose ends, things that don't fit, "flanges" on the end of a part-constructed pipeline. It seems to me a normal state of affairs. What is absurd and rather deranged is to suggest there is a conspiracy to squash alternative ideas.           

Edited by exchemist
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