On Observation, Experiment, Theory, Trust and Belief

A discussion on lenr-forum led me to this musing. Eddington was quoted there.

“Never trust an experimental result until it has been confirmed by theory.”.

This led me to look at a 1978 New York times article, For a Nobel Math Prize, by Paul R. Chernoff, a mathematician, of course.

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Financial Times slapdash knee-jerk reaction passes for journalism

I guess I give it away by the post title. This later was the subject of a reaction: The most bizarre article

Kadhim Shubber

So, Neil Woodford invested in a cold fusion company

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Argument in Rossi’s favor

A post on E-catworld:

Michael W Wolf Abd Ul-Rahman Lomax • 21 hours ago
It is said that a good lawyer could represent either side. What arguments can you give in rossi’s favor. Or are you just an IH hack? If all you can give is pro IH interpretation, then you are not a good lawyer at all. Well, you spend a lot of time here, so….

I’m not a lawyer at all, much less a “good” one. However, I decided to give this a shot.
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Sympathy for the Inventor

When I engage with a topic, beginning to read about it and comment, researching points, being corrected, and all that, there comes a time where I have a relatively deep knowledge. And then people show up with obviously much less knowledge, but totally certain of their position and contemptuous of others.

This post is about a plea for civility and a defense of Rossi, and my response looks to the roots of belief.
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Rossi, blogger

Rossi’s blog can show subtleties that are not likely to be recognized by many. Today: a JONP post likely relates to recent content at lenr-forum.com. 

I was asked on lenr-forum, “Which, by the way, disproved the arguments you used to make about Woodford’s involvement, as now we see they did see the plant, twice, and then decided to invest–there was direct interaction. If there were tensions and troubles, why did Darden bring them by in August?”

This question has often been asked by Planet Rossi, following Rossi himself, who attempts to make hay with the visits and what he imagines that Darden told the Woodford representatives.

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All it takes to start a meeting is a resentment and a coffee pot.

— Alcoholics Anonymous saying.

I just built this and it’s quite a mess, but … I’m just going to sit and wait for someone to show up; until then I’ll just do what I feel like doing, but one thing is certain. Here, I’ll stay out of trouble. Or will I? Wanna help?

This domain is dedicated as a place for the community of interest in cold fusion to meet and discuss and perhaps even to cooperate and collaborate. All are welcome. This is a human community and will doubtless have some rules, but … don’t worry, be free, we will let you know if you break the as-yet-unwritten rules, and you’d have to try hard to get yourself kicked out. Or at least you would know you were doing it.
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