[extropy-chat] Cold fusion

[Ben Goertzel]

>
>
>> One reason progress has been slow is that experiments
>> can take months to run, and the success depends sensitively
>> on the particular batch of ingredients used
>
> And that my friend is a classic example of a BULLSHIT excuse. If  
> there is
> anything unique about this experiment it's how simple it is,  
> anybody should
> be able to reproduce it with a minimal budget. The result is that  
> Joe Blow
> the truck driver sees the heat with no problem, but when world class
> experiments try it they see nothing. The field has not moved an  
> inch in 17
> years and there is no reason to think it will do any better in the  
> next 17.
> A scientist would be a fool to spend any more time with it, there  
> are better
> things to do.

It's actually not true that the field has not moved an inch in 17  
years, there
have been plenty of new results as Beaudette's book reports, and also
new results since the publication of that book.  You can look this stuff
up if you care to.

The argument that the experiments are extremely simple have been
refuted repeatedly.  The experiments do not require extremely expensive
machinery but are not simple for a variety of reasons, described in
detail in Beaudette's book and in the scientific literature.


>
>> Another reason progress has been slow is that the scientific  
>> community
>> has, by and large, reacted irrationally in its rejection of the  
>> results.
>
> Yea, there's this big (yawn) conspiracy.

No, I don't see evidence of a big conspiracy in the suppression of cold
fusion research.  The anti-cold-fusion folks just seem to be a bunch  
of busy and
arrogant academic scientists, individually doing what they think is  
right, but actually
making mistakes on this issue, like the fallible humans we all are....

Anyway, your dogmatism and unwillingness to look at the actual  
scientific data,
make this conversation kind of pointless.  Let's call it quits.  I  
will be happy
to resume the discussion if and when you educate yourself adequately on
the topic to discuss it intelligently .->

-- Ben G