BBC Focus Magazine
Science and Technology discussion
Hello
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Hello
by Damocles » Jan 22nd, '10, 20:54
hello, i'm interested in Genetics (and by default epigenetics and cellular cytochemistry), cryptozooloogy, bioengineering, virology and teaching.
To that effect i have an 'understanding' of biology and chemistry.
Physics is a passion of mine however i have very little understanding of the nuts and bolts of general relatity (my maths is not up to it).
Obviously I participate in this forum to better understand the subjects i have interest in and hopefully become less blinkered. which i believe is aserious problem within the scientific community and participating in intra mural debates essential. as of course is having laypersons present. Experimental results without discussion are worthless.
The greatest crime made by science was its' alienation to the common man. The conceit of scientists is that people either couldn't understand or care about their work, which is wholly untrue.
People deserve greater respect and open honest discussion is the only way to achieve this.
Fundamentally Education i believe is key and to that effect we must make an enthusiastic attempt to engage. The onus is on us to fire the imaginations.
FOCUS is part of that and should be commended.
To that effect i have an 'understanding' of biology and chemistry.
Physics is a passion of mine however i have very little understanding of the nuts and bolts of general relatity (my maths is not up to it).
Obviously I participate in this forum to better understand the subjects i have interest in and hopefully become less blinkered. which i believe is aserious problem within the scientific community and participating in intra mural debates essential. as of course is having laypersons present. Experimental results without discussion are worthless.
The greatest crime made by science was its' alienation to the common man. The conceit of scientists is that people either couldn't understand or care about their work, which is wholly untrue.
People deserve greater respect and open honest discussion is the only way to achieve this.
Fundamentally Education i believe is key and to that effect we must make an enthusiastic attempt to engage. The onus is on us to fire the imaginations.
FOCUS is part of that and should be commended.
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Damocles - Posts: 14
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Re: Hello
by M Paul Lloyd » Jan 22nd, '10, 21:44
Hello and welcome Damocles, hope you like it here and find much to post about. 
"If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life thinking it is stupid." Albert Einstein
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Re: Hello
by Shadowwolf » Jan 23rd, '10, 01:13
Well met my good fellow
Some valid points but it is not entirely untrue, there are a number of the 'common man' that have no interest and have an active dislike for the boffins, merely because they are educated and these folks feel threatened by such. That's why they exult in sciences mistakes or failures, so they can scoff at science and feel as though they actually know nothing, so much for their education. This is something I have noted through direct experience as a lay person. Maybe some of it is down to pompous self superior scientists but a lot is coming from the other side.
The greatest crime made by science was its' alienation to the common man. The conceit of scientists is that people either couldn't understand or care about their work, which is wholly untrue.
Some valid points but it is not entirely untrue, there are a number of the 'common man' that have no interest and have an active dislike for the boffins, merely because they are educated and these folks feel threatened by such. That's why they exult in sciences mistakes or failures, so they can scoff at science and feel as though they actually know nothing, so much for their education. This is something I have noted through direct experience as a lay person. Maybe some of it is down to pompous self superior scientists but a lot is coming from the other side.
Hope is but the first step upon the road to disappointment.
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Shadowwolf - Site Admin
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Re: Hello
by Damocles » Jan 23rd, '10, 02:09
Indeed in all endeavors it will seem that there are impenetrable barriers.
This is not one of them, human intelligence distribution is a bell curve, only the up slope will not understand and most of the time they don't need to they just have to believe in you, ask any doctor dentist nurse radiographer phlebotomist.....
Sorry for being glib, but when it matters people listen. The sad fact is when people tell me they are firing up the LHC i think it matters, not everyone puts science on the top priority list. They really don't have to in general life for most of their life until a word like oncologist suddenly appears in their vocab and they are forced to take a daily mail like interest in the world of science. I'd like to change that, because daily our world is shaped by technology, rapidly changing the face of society, medicine, education entertainment and even just a tiny bit of core knowledge would go a long long way to helping engage that new world with confidence, free from fear and yes revulsion( how many times must i hear about rats and ears?)
The world is wonderfully complex, beautifully so, science is not a monster to corrupt this, far from it, it is a simple methodology that gives birth to understanding and yes, wonder! which obviously leads to further research...
it just burns me to think of phenomenal waste of time humanity spends on game shows, cheryl cole subo, simon cowel and other even more malignant wastes of time and then has the gall to say but but but save me (frankenstien)!!!
This is not one of them, human intelligence distribution is a bell curve, only the up slope will not understand and most of the time they don't need to they just have to believe in you, ask any doctor dentist nurse radiographer phlebotomist.....
Sorry for being glib, but when it matters people listen. The sad fact is when people tell me they are firing up the LHC i think it matters, not everyone puts science on the top priority list. They really don't have to in general life for most of their life until a word like oncologist suddenly appears in their vocab and they are forced to take a daily mail like interest in the world of science. I'd like to change that, because daily our world is shaped by technology, rapidly changing the face of society, medicine, education entertainment and even just a tiny bit of core knowledge would go a long long way to helping engage that new world with confidence, free from fear and yes revulsion( how many times must i hear about rats and ears?)
The world is wonderfully complex, beautifully so, science is not a monster to corrupt this, far from it, it is a simple methodology that gives birth to understanding and yes, wonder! which obviously leads to further research...
it just burns me to think of phenomenal waste of time humanity spends on game shows, cheryl cole subo, simon cowel and other even more malignant wastes of time and then has the gall to say but but but save me (frankenstien)!!!
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Damocles - Posts: 14
- Joined: Jan 20th, '10, 14:02
Re: Hello
by Shadowwolf » Jan 23rd, '10, 17:35
it just burns me to think of phenomenal waste of time humanity spends on game shows, cheryl cole subo, simon cowel and other even more malignant wastes of time
Oh I could add greatly to that list, I vacillate between bamboozled puzzlement and seething rage
I forgot one other crucial reason that prompts some folks ire towards science, because it bursts the bubble on whatever favourite fantasy they hold dear.
Anyhoo good to have thee aboard.
Hope is but the first step upon the road to disappointment.
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Shadowwolf - Site Admin
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- Joined: Jul 28th, '09, 17:25
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