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THE VORTEX-L DISCUSSION GROUP
To put it bluntly, Vortex-L is a forum for "true believers."
Skeptics are tolerated but not welcomed. For yet another definition of
the two types of people, see the excellent article in a recent issue of
SKEPTIC, V5 #2, "Skepticism and Credulity: finding the balance between
Type I and Type II errors" by B. Wisdom.
The article discusses the philosophy behind two types of mental attitude:
1. 'Scoffers:' those who, in order to reject all falsehoods, don't mind
accidentally rejecting truths.
2. 'Believers:' those who, in order to accept all truths, don't mind
accidentally accepting falsehoods.
A few people fall between these two descriptions. However, there is
significant polarization as well: whose who are solidly in one camp or
the other greatly outnumber those who succeed in remaining between the
two.
I have observed that each highly-polarized camp holds great disrespect
for the other, bordering on hatred. The Scoffers regard the opposite
camp as dangerously gullible "true believers" who would allow science to
be damaged by irrational beliefs in things such as UFOs, psi phenomena,
Free Energy, etc. And the Believers regard the other side as dangerously
closeminded "pathological skeptics" who stifle curiousity, block free
investigations, and "preserve" science from the crazy time-wasting
projects of folks like Galileo, Goddard, the Wrights, Margulis, etc.
A few years ago the sci.physics.fusion newsgroup was increasingly becoming
a battleground for the two types. Those who reasoned that "we must study
cold fusion because there is some evidence that it is real" were
constantly attacked by those who believe "we must reject cold fusion
because there is little evidence for it." And vice versa. Particularly
shameful was the amount of hostility including sneering ridicule,
emotional arguments, arrogant self-blindness, and great use of the low,
unscientific techniques outlined in ZEN AND THE ART OF DEBUNKERY.
(See http://amasci.com/weird/wclose.html)
I started this group as an openminded "quiet harbor" for interested
parties to discuss the Griggs Rotor away from the sci.physics.fusion
uproar. It quickly mutated into a "believers forum" for discussion of
cold fusion and other anomalous physics. I created Rule #2 to prevent
this list from becoming another battleground like the sci.physics.fusion
newsgroup. Vortex-L is intended to be a discussion area for researchers
who practice extreme openmindedness and who will "accept falsehoods in
order to avoid rejecting truths".
I believe that many scientists reject new ideas because they unknowingly
maintain an illusory worldview which is based on concensus of colleagues
rather than upon evidence, and as a result they become irrational. They
are very intolerant of ideas which violate that consensus, and will reject
evidence supporting them. This forum is for those with a low tolerance for
consensus-think and a high tolerance for "crazy ideas."
Vortex-L is for those who see great value in removing their usual mental
filters by provisionally accepting the validity of "impossible" phenomena
in order to test them. This excellent quote found by Gene Mallove clearly
states the problem, and reveals the need for "true believers" in a science
community otherwise ruled by conservative scoffers:
"It is really quite amazing by what margins competent but conservative
scientists and engineers can miss the mark, when they start with the
preconceived idea that what they are investigating is impossible. When
this happens, the most well-informed men become blinded by their
prejudices and are unable to see what lies directly ahead of them."
- Arthur C. Clarke, 1963
So, on Vortex-L we intentionally suspend the disbelieving attitude of
those who believe in the stereotypical "scientific method." While this
does leave us open to the great personal embarrassment of falling for
hoaxes and delusional thinking, we tolerate this problem in our quest to
consider ideas and phenomena which would otherwise be rejected out of hand
without a fair hearing. There are diamonds in the filth, and we see that
we cannot hunt for diamonds without getting dirty.
Note that skepticism of the openminded sort is perfectly acceptable on
Vortex-L. The ban here is aimed at scoffing and "hostile disbelief," and
at the sort of "Skeptic" who angrily disbelieves all that is not solidly
proved true, while carefully rejecting all new data and observations which
conflict with widely accepted theory.
((((((((((((((((((( ( ( ( ( (O) ) ) ) ) )))))))))))))))))))
William J. Beaty SCIENCE HOBBYIST website
billbeskimo.com http://amasci.com
EE/programmer/sci-exhibits science projects, tesla, weird science
Seattle, WA 206-789-0775 sciclub-list freenrg-L vortex-L webhead-L
Updated: Apr 2 2005
Created and maintained by Bill Beaty. Mail me at:
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