[ExI] Cold fusion paper

[Anders Sandberg]

On 2013-05-25 18:52, Mirco Romanato wrote:
>> Then you would have demonstrated it, right? And given Spike a simple
>> diagram of how to put the setup together so he could independently
>> replicate it.
> I think not, if I had the possibility to sell the invention for the
> equivalent of tons of gold and doing so would jeopardize my possibilities.

That is the reasoning people always use. And they forget that plenty of 
people get rich simply by patenting stuff. Disclosure doesn't mean you 
lose your opportunity.

>> Their comments are also rather
>> sceptical, essentially boiling down to that exactly what is going on
>> cannot be determined until they are allowed to look inside. They did
>> their testing, that's it.
> And come out without noticing any sign of fraud?

I think it was Randi who pointed out that scientists and engineers are 
*really bad* at detecting fraud. They normally deal with systems where 
there is no intention to fool the viewer, so they fall for the most 
trivial tricks. This is why Randi, a magician, easily uncovered many 
cases of fakery that left invited experts dumbfounded.


-- 
Dr Anders Sandberg
Future of Humanity Institute
Oxford Martin School
Oxford University