If, as Carver Mead believes, the magnetic vector potential turns out to be not only physical but essential for coherent thinking about the physical, Oliver Heaviside's contribution will be thrown into question as it was he, more than anyone else, that discounted Maxwell's insistence that it was physical (which would have directed 19th century physics to quantum theory) rather than a mere mathematical artifact.
On Wed, Jun 4, 2014 at 7:42 PM, Jed Rothwell <jedrothw...@gmail.com> wrote: > Lennart Thornros <lenn...@thornros.com> wrote: > > >> I think you guys are on to what I call the difference between an >> entrepreneur (a very misused word) and not an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs >> are fearless about new things. However to be a successful entrepreneur you >> need to be logical and the hardest . . . >> > > Yeah. One caution though. A personality is not unified. A person can > boldly accept change in one aspect of life, but reject it in another. > Perhaps the best example of that was Franklin Roosevelt. He was > conservative and he loved traditions, yet he was also innovative, bold and > willing to try anything. Martin Fleischmann used to say, "Stan and I are > painfully conventional people." He meant it. In many ways, they were. > > Oliver Heaviside was one of the boldest and most unconventional physicists > in history. His personal life was the opposite. He held one job for a few > years, and then spent the rest of his life at home. He was a recluse, > following routines, never marrying. Perhaps he needed to hang on to dull > routine to counterbalance his bold exploration of the unknown. > > I myself like to do the same thing every day, like clockwork, living a bit > like a monk. I eat pretty much the same foods, and go to the same places > for vacation. Quiet and boring places. I would make a good teacher because > I do not mind repeating myself. I loathe taking any kind of unnecessary > risk, such as driving faster than the speed limit. On the other hand, I > have spent decades and hundreds of thousands of dollars on cold fusion and > I have absolutely nothing to show for it -- not a milligram of success! But > no regrets. I would do it again without hesitation. If I live another 20 > years still capable of it, I will be doing it the last day of my life, even > if I am certain there is no hope of success. > > I am with Winston Churchill on this. As he said in 1941: ". . . never give > in, never give in, never, never, never -- in nothing, great or small, large > or petty -- never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense." > > > http://www.winstonchurchill.org/learn/speeches/speeches-of-winston-churchill/103-never-give-in > > And Édith Piaf: "Non, je ne regrette rien." > > Regarding life's Important Decisions and Turning Points, I agree with > Satchel Paige: "Don't look back; something might be gaining on you." > > - Jed > >
