| Topic: |
Science > Physics |
| User: |
"Pentcho Valev" |
| Date: |
06 Nov 2006 02:08:55 AM |
| Object: |
Tony Blair and the Second Law of Thermodynamics |
http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page10342.asp
Tony Blair: "In 1959, in Cambridge, C.P. Snow famously suggested that
there exist in this country two separate cultures, all but unknown to
each other, of the sciences and the arts. It was, he said, somehow
culturally acceptable to be ignorant of the second law of
thermodynamics in a way in which ignorance of Shakespeare was not.
Nearly half a century on, the sciences have become more specialised and
popular understanding of its intricacies is, if anything, even worse."
http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00000313/00/engtot.pdf
Jos Uffink: "The Second Law made its appearance in physics around 1850,
but a half century later it was already surrounded by so much confusion
that the British Association for the Advancement of Science decided to
appoint a special committee with the task of providing clarity about
the meaning of this law. However, its final report (Bryan 1891) did not
settle the issue. Half a century later, the physicist/philosopher
Bridgman still complained that there are almost as many formulations of
the second law as there have been discussions of it (Bridgman 1941, p.
116). And even today, the Second Law remains so obscure that it
continues to attract new efforts at clarification. A recent example is
the work of Lieb and Yngvason (1999)......The historian of science and
mathematician Truesdell made a detailed study of the historical
development of thermodynamics in the period 1822-1854. He characterises
the theory, even in its present state, as 'a dismal swamp of obscurity'
(1980, p. 6) and 'a prime example to show that physicists are not
exempt from the madness of crowds' (ibid. p. 8).......Clausius' verbal
statement of the second law makes no sense.... All that remains is a
Mosaic prohibition ; a century of philosophers and journalists have
acclaimed this commandment ; a century of mathematicians have shuddered
and averted their eyes from the unclean.....Seven times in the past
thirty years have I tried to follow the argument Clausius offers....and
seven times has it blanked and gravelled me.... I cannot explain what I
cannot understand."
Note that the "dismal swamp of obscurity" is in fact basic science that
freshmen in Universities should learn by rote very diligently.
Pentcho Valev
.
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| User: "Edward Green" |
|
| Title: Re: Tony Blair and the Second Law of Thermodynamics |
09 Nov 2006 05:02:10 PM |
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Note follow-ups.
Pentcho Valev wrote:
http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page10342.asp
Tony Blair: "In 1959, in Cambridge, C.P. Snow famously suggested that
there exist in this country two separate cultures, all but unknown to
each other, of the sciences and the arts. It was, he said, somehow
culturally acceptable to be ignorant of the second law of
thermodynamics in a way in which ignorance of Shakespeare was not.
Nearly half a century on, the sciences have become more specialised and
popular understanding of its intricacies is, if anything, even worse."
http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00000313/00/engtot.pdf
Jos Uffink: "The Second Law made its appearance in physics around 1850,
but a half century later it was already surrounded by so much confusion
that the British Association for the Advancement of Science decided to
appoint a special committee with the task of providing clarity about
the meaning of this law. <...> The historian of science and
mathematician Truesdell made a detailed study of the historical
development of thermodynamics in the period 1822-1854. He characterises
the theory <...>
If you are suggesting that the second law of thermodynamics is
operationally ineffective and should be discarded, that is nonsense.
At most you can say that its axiomatic and interpretational aspects are
not standardized. Since we are stuck with "something like" the law, why
don't you throw your hat into the ring to clarify the matter?
.
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