Jed asked: "You say these were peer-reviewed, but he rejected them because they were not peer-reviewed?!? I don't get it. Maybe he thought the journals were not reputable enough. Not peer-reviewed enough maybe? Wrong peers? People seem to think peer-review is magic pixie dust that makes all claims true."
I was simply pointing out another instance of "cognitive dissonance" which you mentioned. It is an interesting phenomenon, and is probably a fundamental reason as to why the Vort Collective was created.. other than, of course, having a drink or two at the dime-box saloon. RE: cutting the guy some slack. I said I lost respect for him "as a scientist". I still respect him as being a most intelligent human being. But science is all about exploration, discovery and explanation of the anomalous. He is exceptionally well educated in science, has published numerous papers on nuclear physics, and yet, doesn't care to even read peer-reviewed papers about a very interesting, and possible very important, anomaly. that kind of human behavior **from a scientist** defies all rational thought. -Mark From: Jed Rothwell [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 12:55 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Vo]:"The Space Show" revisited: A Carpet Bombing approach to debating Mark Iverson-ZeroPoint <[email protected]> wrote: We met one day for sushi, and I brought two or three peer-reviewed papers to give him, since he kept using the excuse that unless its peer-reviewed, and at a reputable journal, he wasn't interested. You say these were peer-reviewed, but he rejected them because they were not peer-reviewed?!? I don't get it. Maybe he thought the journals were not reputable enough. Not peer-reviewed enough maybe? Wrong peers? People seem to think peer-review is magic pixie dust that makes all claims true. Sometimes people like this person feel that if the journal prints something about cold fusion, that makes it disreputable by definition. I'm sure he is extremely intelligent and knowledgeable, but I lost all respect for him as a scientist at that point. Maybe you should cut him some slack. people can be rational about some things and irrational about others. I know many smart people who do not believe in cold fusion. If I lost respect for them, I would feel contempt for the whole world, the way Rossi does. In his 1940 cabinet, Churchill kept on many of Chamberlain's appointees. He explained: "If one were dependent on the people who had been right in the last few years, what a tiny handful one would have to depend on." - Jed
