Ben Stein Expelled

[Mazim]

Thats because there has been no official definition of the dimensions. Its a theory, and has not yet been proven, dumbass.

[Agraza]

The arguments relating to the fine-tuned universe concept involve the anthropic principle, which states that any valid theory of the universe must be consistent with our existence as human beings at this particular time and place in the universe.

Reads like "sun revolves around earth". This is pseudo-science very much like intelligent design.

I'll give you the point. It's a great find, but I'll personally dismiss this until they can substantiate it. I didn't note any evidence upon which this is supported.

[Soygen]

The best part is he bumped this in reply to a -internets he got and that -internets was the "FUCK MILLIE" spam that pretty much everyone got hit with.

I'll pray for you, Mazim.

[AngryGerbil]

Originally Posted by Mazim

Thats because there has been no official definition of the dimensions. Its a theory, and has not yet been proven, dumbass.

No, it's not a theory. It's a hypothesis. Same as Creation "Theory".

Certainly one of my biggest cultural pet-peeves is the willy-nilly way people toss the word 'theory' around.

When a hypothesis is backed by mountains of evidence and positive peer review making it not only the most probable candidate, but almost certainly the correct idea...then you can call it a theory. Until then, it's just a hypothesis.

The media calls it creation 'theory' and string 'theory' but that doesn't mean it is one.

I know it just sounds like a pointless semantics thing but when people see Creation Theory put up against Evolution Theory they think, "Oh, they're both theories, they have the same weight.", which is just wrong.

[Mazim]

1. a coherent group of general propositions used as principles of explanation for a class of phenomena: Einstein's theory of relativity.
2. a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural, in contrast to well-established propositions that are regarded as reporting matters of actual fact.
3. Mathematics. a body of principles, theorems, or the like, belonging to one subject: number theory.
4. the branch of a science or art that deals with its principles or methods, as distinguished from its practice: music theory.
5. a particular conception or view of something to be done or of the method of doing it; a system of rules or principles.
6. contemplation or speculation.
7. guess or conjecture.

Theory is used, because thats what they all are.

[Agraza]

From Theory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

The word theory has many distinct meanings in different fields of knowledge, depending on their methodologies and the context of discussion.

In science a theory is a testable model of the manner of interaction of a set of natural phenomena, capable of predicting future occurrences or observations of the same kind, and capable of being tested through experiment or otherwise verified through empirical observation. For the scientist, "theory" is not in any way an antonym of "fact". For example, it is a fact that an apple dropped on earth has been observed to fall towards the center of the planet, and the theories commonly used to describe and explain this behavior are Newton's theory of universal gravitation (see also gravitation), and the general theory of relativity.

In common usage, the word theory is often used to signify a conjecture, an opinion, a speculation, or a hypothesis. In this usage, a theory is not necessarily based on facts; in other words, it is not required to be consistent with true descriptions of reality. True descriptions of reality are more reflectively understood as statements which would be true independently of what people think about them.

According to the National Academy of Sciences,

Some scientific explanations are so well established that no new evidence is likely to alter them. The explanation becomes a scientific theory. In everyday language a theory means a hunch or speculation. Not so in science. In science, the word theory refers to a comprehensive explanation of an important feature of nature that is supported by many facts gathered over time. Theories also allow scientists to make predictions about as yet unobserved phenomena.[1]

Seeing as the context I used was "scientific" theory, nothing has been presented in this category that requires a god to work.

I've never really cared for the skirmish over the definition of the word theory. Regardless of context it's simply too common and too open of a word, but I think the religious would have worked to co-opt whatever word we used. They're better at word games and we're better at proof. We might as well stick to our strengths.

[Arbitrary]

The meaning of a word is dependent on the context that it is in. You cannot ignore context and apply multiple definitions to the same term and pretend that they are then identical and be treated the same way.

Main Entry:
1black·guard
Pronunciation:
\ˈbla-gərd, -ˌgärd; ˈblak-ˌgärd\
Function:
noun
Date:
1535

1obsolete : the kitchen servants of a household2 a: a rude or unscrupulous person b: a person who uses foul or abusive language

Group A is talking about kitchen servants. Group B is talking about people who swear all the time. Saying they are the same thing because they can be both share the same name is wrong. That is what you are doing. You are pretending that two totally different things are indeed the same. The common-word usage of the word theory is not interchangable with the definition of the word theory when applied to the scientific community.

[Mazim]

Woot more negative internets. This one telling me to learn science.

This is what people are learning at Universities.
Google Video

Skip to 28 minutes for definition of what the different dimensions COULD mean if you want, from the mouth of a Professor, although the whole series is posted at that site and is really good.

[Mazim]

Originally Posted by Mazim

1. a coherent group of general propositions used as principles of explanation for a class of phenomena: Einstein's theory of relativity.

This one specifically names Einstein's theory fyi, but you can pick whatever definition you want up there, and we will use that one....

[Tea on tuesday]

Originally Posted by Mazim

They don't call it god obviously.


String theory.(This is the cutting edge of science. /cry)

The 10th dimension is god. They would never call it that, but thats what it is basically.

GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!

There are no words for how much I loathe that video. I loathe it for everyone one of you who views it and thinks it's the least bit applicable to math/physics/string theory (or hypothesis if you like).

String theory proposes extra spatial dimensions. There is no voodoo.

[AngryGerbil]

Originally Posted by Agraza

I've never really cared for the skirmish over the definition of the word theory. Regardless of context it's simply too common and too open of a word, but I think the religious would have worked to co-opt whatever word we used. They're better at word games and we're better at proof. We might as well stick to our strengths.

You're right, it's unwinnable, and that just makes it annoy me even more.

[Tea on tuesday]

Originally Posted by AngryGerbil

You're right, it's unwinnable, and that just makes it annoy me even more.

The etymology is fairly complex, but originally the word "theory" meant something akin to an orgasmic, estatic revelation. It was closely tied to Orphic notions of intoxication, which largely sprung from pre-civilized fertility cults in which the god Bacchus, who delivered alcohol to men, was widely revered for granting a piece of deific experience...i.e. drunkeness.

Early Greek philosophers drew heavily from the Orphic tradition, but revered intoxication of the mind over intoxication of the body.

It's not really relevant, but I always thought it was pretty sweet.

[voodoochile78]

Originally Posted by Arbitrary

The meaning of a word is dependent on the context that it is in. You cannot ignore context and apply multiple definitions to the same term and pretend that they are then identical and be treated the same way.

Main Entry:
1black·guard
Pronunciation:
\ˈbla-gərd, -ˌgärd; ˈblak-ˌgärd\
Function:
noun
Date:
1535

1obsolete : the kitchen servants of a household2 a: a rude or unscrupulous person b: a person who uses foul or abusive language

Group A is talking about kitchen servants. Group B is talking about people who swear all the time. Saying they are the same thing because they can be both share the same name is wrong. That is what you are doing. You are pretending that two totally different things are indeed the same. The common-word usage of the word theory is not interchangable with the definition of the word theory when applied to the scientific community.

And I think of a shitty cleric prestige-class. Cleric with skill points in hide? Fuck you!

Neverwinter Nights: Blackguard

[lendarios]

Originally Posted by Agraza

Seeing as the context I used was "scientific" theory, nothing has been presented in this category that requires a god to work.

Did you missed the part that a theory must me Testable in order to be consider scientific.

ID is no a testable theory.

String theory still has not been formally tested.
Einstein theory of relativity has been tested. Examples were bending of light by gravitational fields, verified my telescopes early this century. Difference of atomic clocks between object in rest vs object moving.

[Agraza]

Well I'm not an expert on the terminology or physics. If I was I wouldn't have relied upon wikipedia. Thank you for the examples. Einstein's Theory of Relativity has stood up to scrutiny time and again.