"In 500 years time

the scientific community may well have moved on from QM [Quantum Mechanics] to have replaced it with something better. However, I'm sure the kind of people who currently believe in astrology, or dowsing, or homeopathy, or young earth creationism, will embrace it and refuse to let it go because of its (then) long-standing and traditionalism, despite evidence to the contrary." - Karellen, blog comment at The Old New Thing

Comments

Anonymous said…
It sounds kind of wired, but who knows - in 500 years?

btw: Haven't seen you around for a while? Wishing you a lovely end to your week!
Richard said…
rennyba: work has been occupying my brain cells the past few weeks, leaving me with little with which compose my own thoughts.

I don't think it is that weird. Many certain and respectable ideas over the past 500 years are now quaint and obsolete.
Tena Russ said…
In 500 years time
the scientific community may well have moved on from QM [Quantum Mechanics] to have replaced it with something better.


Better? Probably just newer theories that are no closer to the "truth" than we are now. Just IMHO.
Richard said…
tena: I think we are slowly progressing toward the truth. The problem is that people's pride and prejudice keep getting in the way causing them to hold on to and promote ideas that just don't work.

A little over a hundred years ago Lord Kelvin (president of the Royal Society and distinguished scientist) declared that heavier than air flight was impossible. Before Louis Pasteur, people believed organisms spontaneously arose (actually, we are kind of back to that with quantum mechanics).

The problem is not the ideas, but the use of those ideas to hinder and impede exploration of new ideas (it is actually quite endemic to science - even if they wish to pretend it is not. Of course, it is endemic anywhere humans are involved).

Just think of the money that has been spent over the past 30+ years in the "war on cancer" and we are not really any closer to a cure today than we were 30 years ago. Except in the cases of breast cancer and leukemia, survival rates are barely any better than they were back then.

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