The problem is that you can currently only access quantum mechanics at the level of popular science, which is to say in metaphorical language, and so it is not impossible that you find Chopra's metaphors more appealing. But that doesn't mean that there is an underlying theory or that the underlying theory is compatible with quantum mechanics let alone more effective than it. We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo
Brave man.
Supersymmetric GUTs are a prime example of intriguing scientific innovations that didn't make it. We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo
haven´t looked at his site. Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.
The CV given in the link you provide contains a few - ah - interesting lines that make me go for crank:
1975: Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, Dartmouth College 1976: Masters of Arts Harvard University 1981: Ph. D. in physics Harvard University where he studied under Howard Georgi, 1979-1995:Publishes ([3]) a number of peer-reviewed papers in particle physics dealing with supersymmetry and grand unification theory. This includes an article presenting the first successful superstring theory, the E8 x E8 heterotic superstring theory, which he conceived and published in cooperation with the CERN researchers John Ellis and D.V. Nanopoulus. 1982: Researcher at CERN (the European Center for Particle Physics) in Switzerland 1983-1984: SLAC (the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center). 1984: Moves to Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa and founded a graduate program in Theoretical Physics. 1992: Is selected as Presidential Candidate by the Natural Law Party in the USA 1992: Receives the Kilby Award, for scientists who have made "major contributions to society through their applied research in the fields of science and technology". The award states it is for "a scientist in the tradition of Einstein, Jeans, Bohr and Eddington". 1994: Awarded an Ig Nobel Prize for his experimental conclusion from a rigorous scientific study, published in the peer review journal "Social Indicators Reserarch", that found that 4,000 practicitioners of the TM-Sidhi program who gathered in Washington, D.C. for the Summer, caused a 23.3 percent decrease in crime in that city during an 8 week period. This annual award is for ten achievements that "first make people laugh, and then make them think." 1994: Last published Physics research. 1999: Published a study (made 1994) on the preventive effect of TM-Sidhi program on crime in Washington, D.C.. See "Further reading" below.
When I read that CV, I think Michael Behe. It reads like the CV of a real scientist who became enamoured with woo-woo somewhen in the early 90s.
In general, however, I could care less about where Chopra - or anyone else - learns their quantum mechanics. If they can solve the Schrödinger equation, they could have learned it from David Letterman, for all I care. Touting his teacher(s) reeks of credentialism and argument from authority.
- Jake If you only spend 20 minutes of the rest of your life on economics, go spend them here.
I don´t talk qm, or popular science, nor do I associate it with Chopra, so beats me what it´s doing here. That´s square stuff. Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.
Sloppy thinking is rarely completely irrelevant. If somebody says things about QM - a field in which I am competent to evaluate what he's saying - that are not only embarrassingly wrong but downright absurd, then I have to question either his honesty or his ability to judge his own competence. Which one is at fault matters less than nothing to me; either one makes me highly suspicious of him in fields where I can't judge his competence directly or haven't taken the time to read his opinions.
I do in fact think that JakeS has taken a tone in this thread that is at times needlessly aggressive, but it's also clear that your ratings are not limited to those comments and are being used to express general disagreement with him, as are your ratings of Colman, Jerome and Migeru in this thread. This is inappropriate behavior, as I think you are aware. Please consider this your first warning.
And as a general note to all the participants in this thread, I do hope that everyone will take a few moments to step away from this thread and think about maybe toning it down a few notches. I don't care if you think you're right, if you can't be respectful to each other, you shouldn't be posting here. Period. That goes for all of you. Knock it off.
