[extropy-chat] Cold fusion research

[Ben Goertzel]

> Have you for a moment ever considered that your complete lack of 
> reactions to very valid critique might have been the culprit?
> We both are only human. In fact, I'm not known for suffering fools gladly,
> and the length of the thread is sufficient evidence that I 
> don't consider you such.
>   

Eugen,

My lack of reaction to your complaint about a lack of "light water" 
controls in a particular experiment,
was due to the fact that this complaint was already discussed 
extensively in Beaudette's book, where Fleischmann's
(not very convincing) excuse for not using this kind of control was 
given, and where a list of experiments
that did use this kind of control was cited.  It's not that I thought 
the complaint was invalid, just that
it was not new to me based on my (not that deep) reading in the area. 

About your statement that the only possible explanations for CF involve 
violations of E=mc^2: I really doubt it.   Schwinger did not seem to 
think so, and nor do the other scientists involved with CF.   I really 
don't think Schwinger and all these other guys lack elementary physics 
insight.

I don't think that affiliation with major universities, or possession of 
lengthy publication records, is a proof of correctness, of course.  
However, statistically speaking, I tend to in general attach more 
credibility to scientists with more reputable affiliations or 
publication lists.  This heuristic can often be misleading, of course.

As for my use of the term "ad hominem": You really didn't need to 
insinuate that I am unfamiliar with the basic elements of scientific 
method.  I wouldn't trust myself to perform an important chemistry 
experiment either, but I do understand the basic issues involved.

I am not a "true believer" in CF, and I wouldn't be terribly surprised 
if it turns out to be bullshit after all.  However, my current estimate 
is that it is more likely true than not, and your arguments have not 
changed this.

There are other intelligent people on this list who agree with me, I'm 
sure (e.g. Keith Henson, Eliezer Yudkowsky, and Damien Broderick have 
all spoken up at some point in this dialogue), but none of them has felt 
like devoting the time to keep defending CF.  I don't have more time to 
give to this dialogue either, really, I've got an AI to build...

-- Ben