Nobel Laureate and professor of physics at Cambridge has been asked not to attend a conference on Foundations of Physics because of their interest in psi http://religionscholars.commons.gc.cuny.鈥?/a>
David Peat has a PhD in physics from a top UK university, and was also asked not to attend for the same reason.
Do you think this is reasonable?|||Yes, it certainly is right not to want anyone who believes pseudo-scientific "gao pei" at a scientific conference. The very fact that anyone would have an interest in anything so contrary to genuine science casts doubt upon his ability to have the proper objectivity necessary for genuine scientific work. If someone believes in one area of "woowoo", he is likely to believe in others and is much too subjective to be a good scientist. The fact that he is trying to have such nonsense published is a blow against true science. It is one thing to dabble in such stuff on his own time, but trying to deceive many people by publishing it is criminal.|||Yes. See jref.com.|||Yes and no - interest in psi and holistic physics is entering woo territory and there really is no place for it in a conference regarding de Broglie-Bohm theory. However, according to this article the invitation has been reissued and Dr Peat is now attending the conference:
"He didn't see that coming, or did he?"
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/st鈥?/a>|||If that article is correct, then it is evidence that science does not follow its own rules. It has rules for research. Occam's Razor, for example. Assuming something doesn't exist because the scientist doesn't believe it exists is not valid by the rules laid out by science.
Scientists have declared animals, or a fish in the case of the coelacanth, extinct for lack of evidence to the contrary.
"Scientific theories on structures have been tossed aside for "scientific" explanations that are socially preferable. (A culture has declared a less probable theory "fact" to make sure history notes that their culture build the structure in question.)
I have heard dark matter and energy argued. Even had someone claiming to be into astrophysics claiming it can be studied. Not unless it miraculously stopped absorbing light. Any other "evidence" is based on assumptions.
Research on the paranormal, by folks using various technology to research it, documenting their findings, and then setting about trying to prove their findings fake, has been discredited by the scientific community.
Dark energy and dark matter plug holes in other scientific theories. The paranormal suggests holes in scientific theories. Hmmm. Wonder why the first is more acceptable then the second.|||That's pretty funny coming from Valentini, from what I've read of his works and seen of his talks (he's given a few at my university). He's kind of a jerk. But he might have a point. If he's organizing a conference, he's allowed to invite (or not invite) anyone he wants to it. It's like a private party. You don't get to go just because you're a physicist. And since there is no connection between quantum mechanics and consciousness, these people are doing science a big disfavor by trying to get that crap published. They're simply misleading and confusing people. That's not accepted science, and it doesn't matter how much good science they've done already if they're pushing that crap now.|||Yes, it is for sure. Conferences are for serious scientists, not people who dabble in such ridiculous "balle" as "psi". If someone wastes time on such "balle", his qualifications as an objective scientist are doubtful. Falling for hoaxes certainly doesn't bode well for a man's qualifications in science.|||Why is it that the scientifically illiterate hold scientists up to the high standard of THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD in matters that have nothing to do with science? The standards are about scientific research only, not who gets to go to parties!
Who gets invited to a physics seminar has much more to do with etiquette and politics than "Occam's Razor"! Sheesh! The planning of science conferences does not have to employ the scientific method!|||No, not because of his interest!|||To not invite someone because they have an interest in something that isn't popular among colleagues is...dumb. As long as his work in physics is credible, he should be afforded the same level of respect as others in his field. On the other hand, this could be a scapegoat to not invite him for some other reason. A bunch of physicists may have complained about the guy smelling at other conferences and no one wants to sit next to him. Instead of telling him the truth, he stinks and no one wants to be near him, they came up with the psi interest thing.|||I had not heard that story before, but based on the article you provided, I would say that no its not reasonable. There are many researchers out there studying and theorizing on paranormal related topics and they are very legitimate scientists as is their work. In my opinion its not the topics that should be an issue, it is how the person conducts themselves, and how professional a scientist they are. Are they thorough with their work etc.
The only way we as a people have ever advanced scientifically is by pushing the envelope and delving into areas that were previously believed to be impossible.|||That's a bunch of bs and it is a prime example of how close minded some people can be.
This has been going on for a long, long time in the scientific community. The behavior is not new and it truly doesn't have to do with the paranormal, it has to do with not wanting to be challenged and only wanting people around who agree with you and are not going to think beyond what you think.
Some of the most brilliant minded scientists were laughed out of gatherings and called fools at some point in their careers and they have had the biggest impact on technology and the way we view our world and Universe.
Whether the paranormal is real or not is not the point. If people really want the truth, if skeptics want to prove to the masses that it doesn't exist, then someone has to research it.
And for the record, in this instance, it was not the subject matter of the conference that caused the conflict:
*I have told Dr Towler that, in my view, it would not be appropriate for someone with such research interests to attend a scientific conference.*
How rude! He was merely dismissed because of his interests and the letter basically is saying any kind of scientific conference not one in particular. All the letters are basically saying that no matter what the topic was they would have no interest in inviting them, regardless of their credentials and scientific background.
That is truly asinine.|||May be in the past -- when psi wasn't as popular -- that was reasonable. But nowadays that's outrageous!|||No, it's one of the many signs of how far so-called mainstream science has fallen.
Science has been turned into a club-for-the-boys. A clique were the popular people get to hang out. If you think differently or come up with radical proposals you are ridiculed and isolated.
These days a lot of scientists are afraid to stray form the middle ground because if they do they won't get their papers published. And if they dare to try to publish a paper that suggests something unfashionable they risk being branded a crank and loosing funding for their future projects.
These days only a few uber famous scientists like Stephan Hawkins are able to get radical ideas heard. He is famous enough and influential enough that he can talk about alternate universes and aliens and the next stages of human evolution without being ejected from the science club, but most other people aren't so they dare not speak up and dare not carry out research.
This is a very bad state of affairs as it means that many potential scientific breakthroughs are not being made because people are afraid to do the research.
It's like race and genetics. Nobody has ever proved conclusively that white people and black people have the same genetic propensity for intelligence, because they are afraid that if they do the research and find that black people are naturally smarter than white people, or vice versa, they will be destroyed by the science club.
It's also the same with evolution. Scientists are afraid to look froward in case looking forward means having to investigate taboo topics like ESP. If you try to research evolution and you find a gene for ESP, then you'd better hide your notes for 50 years or kiss your funding good bye because every science club member in the word will fall over themselves to find fault with you or your research.
This is why SETI and NASA don't research UFOs. They can look for life everywhere, and with every scientific tool imaginable, so long as they maintain a careful blind spot near that covers the possibility that aliens might be here already.
It's not fair, it's not right, and it's downright unscientific as it is basically the complete and utter denial of the principals of scientific discovery. You don't research a topic by point blank denying that things exist.
Keeping this guy out isn't fair and it isn't reasonable, people who think that PSI should be excluded aren't scientists, they are pseudo scientists as they have closed minds and are anti-discovery.
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