Well, by "exceedingly costly" I wasn't referring to the scientific research program. I was referring to the development program. You _really_ don't want to do engineering in the absence of validated theory. Development is costly enough with a validated theory. Indeed, *with* a validated theory it is "exceedingly costly" compared to a scientific research program. *Without* a validated theory it is virtually astronomical.
Now, having said that, the profits are virtually astronomical so maybe they can pull an Edison (massive parallel trial and error) with the Chinese and really get somewhere without a validated theory. It just seems tragic. On Thu, Feb 13, 2014 at 6:52 PM, Jed Rothwell <jedrothw...@gmail.com> wrote: > James Bowery <jabow...@gmail.com> wrote: > > That's true if Rossi has a handle on the science. There is wide-spread >> opinion among genuine skeptics (not to be confused with true believers in >> the bureaucratic interpretation of physical theory) that what Rossi has is >> more likely a technique that is more replicable and higher magnitude than >> the FPE, but little better in terms of theory. >> > >> If that is the case, progress in engineering will be exceedingly costly >> until a scientific research program is executed by those who have access to >> Rossi's device or devices with similar replicability. >> > > It may be exceedingly costly, but it seems the people at Cherokee are > exceedingly wealthy. They can probably put more money into it than the > X-prize can offer, or that it can drum up. > > That is not to say there would be no benefit to opening up the research to > many more groups. > > - Jed > >
