#12 (Tom)

Then you and I are largely in agreement as to what is known versus what is postulated. My thinking is that this statement,

"We know universe beAgn[SP] 13.7 billion years ago as a dot smaller than an atom. Universe underwent exponential expansion in a billionth of a second and continues to expand. AFter 400 million years, the first stars formed and other elements were cooked in them..."

Is indeed incautious and it blurs that speculation line. However, I meant, and I hope I conveyed, only the slightest complaint on the topic and even that was only because I get so tired of lay readers dismissing an entire statement because of this particular use of the word 'know'.

It's all good.

#7

Respectfully continuing to pick the nit, I know that my car will be there because we have proven laws of physics that say it will and mountains of evidence to verify the predictions. I am not forced to postulate changes to the laws to determine if it is still there.

I argue that knowledge is not the thing at the somewhat tentative end of a long chain of inference.

I don't have a better theory, mind you.

Sorry for the dupe.. lesson learned

A bit incautious use of the word know.

We postulate the big bang by extrapolating from the fact that the universe appears to be expanding. We find data that fits the theory, or we change the theory to accomodate a changing set of physical laws . (Since current physical law doesn't account for the ability of a single point to contain all of the matter and energy in the universe)

Anyway.. just picking nits. Very exciting to see Cern firing up... I'll look forward to the lights dimming :-)

A bit incautious use of the word know.

We postulate the big bang by extrapolating from the fact that the universe appears to be expanding. We find data that fits the theory, or we change the theory to accomodate a changing set of physical laws . (Since current physical law doesn't account for the ability of a single point to contain all of the matter and energy in the universe)

Anyway.. just picking nits. Very exciting to see Cern firing up... I'll look forward to the lights dimming :-)

Go Stirling Cycle!! Woot!

Always like to see waste energy recovered. Good show!

It's got a good beat, I can dance to it... I give a 9!

Yeah baby! TOASTER BACON!