Harry Ricker and “Theory C”.
Normal Science
and Revolutionary Science.
Harry,
I notice you used Kuhn’s term “normal
science” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_science , but giving it another meaning. (In
his 1969 edition Kuhn should have credited the dichotomy normal
and revolutionary to M Polanyi, Personal Knowledge. RKP
1958 p151) Koestler came after Polanyi.
I have only recently realised that
Peer review outlaws the suggestion of paradigm
change.
Paradigm change contrasts with the
leaders of NPA wanting cooperation between its members. Whereas normal science
is cumulative (cf what Newton said), revolutionary
science (paradigm change) is destructive, destroying what went before.
I suspect the NPA leadership will
continue to bang the drum for cooperation regardless of how much they are
taught by Kuhn etc. I wish they would come to terms with the idea that science
proceeds in two totally different ways – normal science and revolutionary
science. They don’t have to accept the idea, but only tell us they are familiar
with it, and if they accept it, not apply the precepts of the one kind of
science to the other.
How much time and effort should those
developing the kinetic theory have spent on the minutiae of the obsolete
phlogiston theory? Greg
please answer this.
Ivor
From: HARRY RICKER
Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2012 12:12 PM
To: SvetlanaJ@stjohnpatrick.com ; forrestb@ix.netcom.com ; Ivor Catt
Subject: Re: problem
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Ivor, What you say here is serious and
profound. I can only say that once I started reading your articles in
Wireless World my difficulties with the electromagnetic theory were focused.
Before they were vague dissatisfaction's or lack of ability to see the theory
as a consistent set of ideas. Normal science is about predictions
from equations. There is no thought regarding the reality of the objects
about which predictions are made. Relativity is an example. The equations
make predictions about time. Time is said to dilate for observers in relative
motion. Experiments are performed and the results show that clocks run a different rates when in motion. So the theory is said to
be validated. But the theory predicts things about time that are absurd, that
is two clocks both run slow relative to each other. But this prediction is
ignored because it refutes the theory as being an
impossibility. The response of the scientific community is that
relativity is correct, although it makes absurd untestable
predictions. The point is that this kind of
science, which is equations and predictions, leads us into the wrong
conclusions because it is incomplete. It is incomplete because it doesn't
address the questions that natural philosophy tries to address. The problem of charge and what
electromagnetism is as a fundamental aspect of our world is outside the realm
of scientific inquiry as understood by normal scientists. So the questions
being asked by us are largely outside of their ability to answer. So they do
the obvious thing. Rather than admit that they are ignorant of the correct
answer, they avoid the problem by ignoring it and denying that it exists as a
scientific problem. Harry
http://www.ivorcatt.co.uk/x22r.htm I worry about this
dialogue (or multilogue). The last time this kind
of thing happened, (or critics of Catt would say falsely claims now happens)
was some 200 years ago, when phlogiston and caloric disappeared. Aristotle’s
“earth, air, fire and water” had previously lasted for 2,000 years. Catt’s
discovery of “Theory C” has been ignored for a third of a century, http://www.ivorcatt.com/2608.htm , and is likely to be ignored for a further
century. Wegener was ignored for a third of a century. Mendel was ignored for
a century. One way out for an observer is to dismiss Catt as arrogant,
presumptuous, rude, ignorant of electromagnetic theory or of mathematics etc.
Such charges are made, and should be expected. Another point.
Never in the history of science has the claim been made that the mathematical
derivation of something real (field) is not real (charge, current). e.g. We are addressing a
situation which Catt says is more or less unprecedented. If that is true,
then the usual way to address a claimed scientific advance, or a scientific
argument, is likely to break down. I feel the present
discussion is like discussing the performance of the Hiroshima Fire Brigade
after the bomb dropped. The fire brigade is a metaphor for the way “Theory C”
is being treated, using routine principles of how to discuss and debate. We have to either
dismiss Catt out of hand, or accept that this is not just another scientific
discussion. Ivor From: HARRY
RICKER Sent: Friday, March 02, 2012 7:37 PM To: SvetlanaJ@stjohnpatrick.com ; Ivor Catt Subject: Re: new article proposal
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