Hacker irked by reincarnation
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Hacker irked by reincarnation
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Re: Hacker irked by reincarnation
#2The essence here really has nothing to do with reincarnation, but rather that a researcher has met the most basic scientific criteria in an area of research, and their research has been altogether dismissed anyway.
That's a fair criticism of the current scientific community, but I suspect that nothing can be done about it without huge cultural changes, at least in the U.S.
Strong refutation of someone's research would require a great deal of research and resources. For that work to become notable in the scientific community, it would typically be supported either by a university or by a respected private organization.
In the university environment, a researcher would be strongly advised against pursuing topics like the investigation of the paranormal. They would be warned that they would be jeopardizing their career; they should go and work instead on some other subject, especially something that's a current hot topic that might lead to some solid funding.
In private industry, if there isn't any money to be made from it, it won't be pursued.
It's not altogether unlike the startup community. I have trouble imagining YC accepting a team that seriously proposed to develop, say, an entirely new operating system from scratch (unless perhaps it was already half complete, and that would be cheating in this case). "Who would use it?" "How will you make money?" "You seem like a great team, why don't you do X instead?"
There seems to be very little space available right now for people who want to devote lots of resources to pursuing something for curiosity's sake.
Re: Hacker irked by reincarnation
#3To speak candidly, I always found it irritating when Atheists and Secular "thinkers" would attack me for being religious and a scientist at the same time, as if my religion must somehow stunf my intellectual capability. Furthermore, more often than not, the loudest champions for science are the ones furthest away from the scientific field. I've never seen such hyperbole or purist/fundamentalist views about science except in non-scientists.
In my opinion science, the thing we do to further humanities knowledge, is deeply flawed, unnecessarily complicated and painfully dirty. Let me provide a few examples:
The "3 year degree". When I finished my three year Science degree I looked back on my time not with pride but rather disdain and anger. I felt like the work I had done to achieve the piece of paper my degree was written on did not warrant three years of my life. I felt like if the university gave me the opportunity, I could have completed my degree in a year, with full time or over time studying. That being said I had the luxury of living in a country with free or freeish education. Don't even get me started on PhDs and postdocs.
Science funding: While science is supposed to be impartial, illuminating and free for all it sadly isnt. Pharmaceutical companies pay big money to get results that allow them bring drugs on the market. I'm not suggesting there methods are corrupt, far from it, but the fact that they have a vested financial interest in results steers there line of thinking so that any scientific discoveries that arn't beneficial to drug x are shelved. PhD students who are supported with financial grants are also impended by NDA paperwork and a wall of patent/commercial impediments.
The point I'm making is that It's not suprising people lose faith in science when they start to look beyond the superficial layers. Science is difficult, confusing and complicated but It's also essential, It's also wonderful and It's also fundamental for human society. The problem though (at least it appears to me) is that in many ways there is a huge disconnect between cutting edge science/peer review articles and the general public. I've been thinking about what to do to plug that gap and make science more accessible to people without requiring 5 years of studying but thats another story all together.
Re: Hacker irked by reincarnation
#4The essence here really has nothing to do with reincarnation, but rather that a researcher has met the most basic scientific criteria in an area of research, and their research has been altogether dismissed anyway. That's a fair criticism of the current scientific community, but I suspect that nothing can be done about it without huge cultural changes, at least in the U.S. Strong refutation of someone's research woul…
There exist people who write operating systems purely for curiosity's sake. This is essentially the story of Linux.
But it doesn't make sense to advocate funding these ventures. The people who are motivated purely by curiosity will by definition not be motivated by funding. No amount of funding would produce a second Linux. In fact, too much funding might have distracted Linus into working on something else instead.
If you're really passionate about something, you figure out how to do it. Maybe you moonlight, or do it part-time, maybe you save up for a few years and cash out. But I think any software developer who feels that he cannot pursue a software project because of lack of funding needs either a reality check or a career change.
Re: Hacker irked by reincarnation
#5The essence here really has nothing to do with reincarnation, but rather that a researcher has met the most basic scientific criteria in an area of research, and their research has been altogether dismissed anyway. That's a fair criticism of the current scientific community, but I suspect that nothing can be done about it without huge cultural changes, at least in the U.S. Strong refutation of someone's research woul…
There exist people who write operating systems purely for curiosity's sake. This is essentially the story of Linux. But it doesn't make sense to advocate funding these ventures. The people who are motivated purely by curiosity will by definition not be motivated by funding. No amount of funding would produce a second Linux. In fact, too much funding might have distracted Linus into working on something else instead.…
> For that work to become notable in the scientific community, it would typically be supported either by a university or by a respected private organization.
Re: Hacker irked by reincarnation
#6The "evidence" here is that children "said words" and "did things" that made it seem like they were "reincarnated". Also there are some anecdotal cases of injuries other people had turing into birth defects / birth marks for other people...
Can someone please tell me what the science is here? Because my brain is melting reading this "research".
Re: Hacker irked by reincarnation
#7To speak candidly, I always found it irritating when Atheists and Secular "thinkers" would attack me for being religious and a scientist at the same time, as if my religion must somehow stunf my intellectual capability. Furthermore, more often than not, the loudest champions for science are the ones furthest away from the scientific field. I've never seen such hyperbole or purist/fundamentalist views about science ex…
> To speak candidly, I always found it irritating when Atheists and Secular "thinkers" would attack me for being religious and a scientist at the same time, as if my religion must somehow stunf my intellectual capability.
I would think so. How can you say, "I'm a scientist, I'll construct experiments and observe results to understand reality," and then go believe that there's a dude in the universe that's omnipotent and omnipresent without a shred of observable evidence?
> Science is difficult, confusing and complicated.
Science is cherry pie compared to trying to appease some mystical, invisible, unobserable, unknowable, all-powerful, imaginary god.
Re: Hacker irked by reincarnation
#8To speak candidly, I always found it irritating when Atheists and Secular "thinkers" would attack me for being religious and a scientist at the same time, as if my religion must somehow stunf my intellectual capability. Furthermore, more often than not, the loudest champions for science are the ones furthest away from the scientific field. I've never seen such hyperbole or purist/fundamentalist views about science ex…
> To speak candidly, I always found it irritating when Atheists and Secular "thinkers" would attack me for being religious and a scientist at the same time, as if my religion must somehow stunf my intellectual capability.
FWIW, Knuth (yes, that one) is fairly religious. Anyone want to claim that he's stunted? Be sure to include supporting evidence.
Re: Hacker irked by reincarnation
#9To speak candidly, I always found it irritating when Atheists and Secular "thinkers" would attack me for being religious and a scientist at the same time, as if my religion must somehow stunf my intellectual capability. Furthermore, more often than not, the loudest champions for science are the ones furthest away from the scientific field. I've never seen such hyperbole or purist/fundamentalist views about science ex…
> To speak candidly, I always found it irritating when Atheists and Secular "thinkers" would attack me for being religious and a scientist at the same time, as if my religion must somehow stunf my intellectual capability. I would think so. How can you say, "I'm a scientist, I'll construct experiments and observe results to understand reality," and then go believe that there's a dude in the universe that's omnipotent…
Well I hypothesis God exists. My experimental method is that I attempt to adher to the principles I understand bring one closer to God. I'll collect my experimental data when I've passed away and determine my conclusion posthumously.
I mean this is exactly the issue I'm talking about. My religious beliefs do not impede my scientific work, so why do people get so bothered about it?
Re: Hacker irked by reincarnation
#10To speak candidly, I always found it irritating when Atheists and Secular "thinkers" would attack me for being religious and a scientist at the same time, as if my religion must somehow stunf my intellectual capability. Furthermore, more often than not, the loudest champions for science are the ones furthest away from the scientific field. I've never seen such hyperbole or purist/fundamentalist views about science ex…
> To speak candidly, I always found it irritating when Atheists and Secular "thinkers" would attack me for being religious and a scientist at the same time, as if my religion must somehow stunf my intellectual capability. I would think so. How can you say, "I'm a scientist, I'll construct experiments and observe results to understand reality," and then go believe that there's a dude in the universe that's omnipotent…
>I would think so. How can you say, "I'm a scientist, I'll construct experiments and observe results to understand reality," and then go believe that there's a dude in the universe that's omnipotent and omnipresent...
Thousands of scientists throughout history have been conducting experiments while simultaneously holding a belief in God.
To take an example from our own industry, how do you feel about Donald Knuth. Do you discount his work because of his faith?
>...without a shred of observable evidence?
We all make presuppositions. You assume that your senses are basically reliable. You make this assumption because it is useful, and without it everything you do would be meaningless--yet you have absolutely no way to prove it.
Each of us makes assumptions about the nature of the universe. You have no right to judge someone else because you believe your presuppositions are less ridiculous than his.