leaking pen <itsat...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I can get requiring a testable theory. I just fail to see how, "This > process causes X amount of heat above what goes in to come out." is not a > testable theory. > Sure, if you call that a theory, then cold fusion has it in spades. I don't mean to quibble about terminology, but I think most people would call that a "claim" rather than a theory. The EPRI paper I quoted is a good example: "EPRI PERSPECTIVE This work confirms the claims of Fleischmann, Pons, and Hawkins of the production of excess heat in deuterium-loaded palladium cathodes at levels too large for chemical transformation. . . ." When the skeptics say they want a testable theory, I think they mean a nuclear theory. They will not believe it until you can explain it in the same detail we can explain plasma fusion in the sun, or uranium fission. Extreme skeptics such as Huizenga reject the findings absolutely and a priori. They are certain that nuclear theory is correct and the theory proves that cold fusion is impossible. This is analogous to me saying that no person can be strong enough to leap over the Empire State Building because of the limits of biological muscles. Huizenga et al. say that we can be certain that any heat result, or helium, or tritium is an experimental error or fraud. They do not specify what error it might be, so their objection is not falsifiable, but they do not observe the niceties of academic debate. > No, modern science books still teach it the right way. My sister is > taking high school science, and her book has it as Hypothesis, experiment, > observe, analyze, confirm. Nothing about a model. I think they pay lip service to it, but they do not observe these customs in academic science. As I said, it is more a religion these days. I should have said it is a business. A big business, raking in billions of dollars from Uncle Sam. Sweep aside the blather from Huizenga and Park and you will see that is the issue here. It isn't about theory or experiments. It is about funding. As Stan Szpak says, scientists believe whatever you pay them to believe. It is unfortunate that modern science is so expensive. Back in 1900 people did groundbreaking experiments on a shoestring. Nowadays, even a cold fusion experiment costs more than most middle class people save in a lifetime. Modern instruments are wonderful, but expensive! - Jed
