Venus is not Earth’s closest neighbor
- Metryq
- Posts: 513
- Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2012 3:31 am
Venus is not Earth’s closest neighbor
Mathematical shell game. This is the sort of nonsense establishment astronomers waste money on.
- webolife
- Posts: 2539
- Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 2:01 pm
- Location: Seattle
Re: Venus is not Earth’s closest neighbor
One might ask, "Who cares who is Earth's nearest planetary neighbor on the average?"
Specifically in reference to the linked article, it is made clear that Mercury is on the average our closest planetary neighbor, while it is commonly assumed that Venus, when equated with its orbital pathway, is the nearest. In other words we make a "common knowledge" statement that Venus is closest, assuming that everyone will understand that we refer to Venus's orbit (an idealized locus).
But it is an interesting article in pointing out the careless language with which common issues in science are presented. This is a pervasive issue in this forum, and one each of us contributors would be wise to consider. Many concepts in physics, geology, biology, paleontology, chemistry, climate, etc... and yes EU/PC... are considered "common knowledge", but so much of what we "know" is stored in informational language that is imprecise, inaccurate, and/or misleading when it comes to verification and theoretical comparisons. Semantics do matter. Especially when we are championing esoteric hypotheses (eg. "my" Centropic Pressure Field Theory" -- CPFT), it doesn't help for us to make assumptions about jargon that do not take into account either 1.) generally understood meanings of words, or 2.) the importance of understanding differences in how words are used in opposing perspectives. Double negative intended.
Much of mainline science is framed, taught, and redounded by language that is misleading to the point of absurd in these kinds of assumptions. The ideas expressed in EU/PC/Thunderbolts must be handled with the same scrutiny if we are ever to gain the kind of paradigm changing credibility we seek.
Specifically in reference to the linked article, it is made clear that Mercury is on the average our closest planetary neighbor, while it is commonly assumed that Venus, when equated with its orbital pathway, is the nearest. In other words we make a "common knowledge" statement that Venus is closest, assuming that everyone will understand that we refer to Venus's orbit (an idealized locus).
But it is an interesting article in pointing out the careless language with which common issues in science are presented. This is a pervasive issue in this forum, and one each of us contributors would be wise to consider. Many concepts in physics, geology, biology, paleontology, chemistry, climate, etc... and yes EU/PC... are considered "common knowledge", but so much of what we "know" is stored in informational language that is imprecise, inaccurate, and/or misleading when it comes to verification and theoretical comparisons. Semantics do matter. Especially when we are championing esoteric hypotheses (eg. "my" Centropic Pressure Field Theory" -- CPFT), it doesn't help for us to make assumptions about jargon that do not take into account either 1.) generally understood meanings of words, or 2.) the importance of understanding differences in how words are used in opposing perspectives. Double negative intended.
Much of mainline science is framed, taught, and redounded by language that is misleading to the point of absurd in these kinds of assumptions. The ideas expressed in EU/PC/Thunderbolts must be handled with the same scrutiny if we are ever to gain the kind of paradigm changing credibility we seek.
Truth extends beyond the border of self-limiting science. Free discourse among opposing viewpoints draws the open-minded away from the darkness of inevitable bias and nearer to the light of universal reality.
- neilwilkes
- Posts: 366
- Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 4:30 am
- Location: London, England
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Re: Venus is not Earth’s closest neighbor
You would have thought they had better things to waste public money on.Metryq wrote:Mathematical shell game. This is the sort of nonsense establishment astronomers waste money on.
You will never get a man to understand something his salary depends on him not understanding.
- nick c
- Site Admin
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- Location: connecticut
Re: Venus is not Earth’s closest neighbor
Mercury is the closest neighbor by average distance to not only Earth but to every other planet. Essentially, this calculation tells us nothing other than that Mercury's orbit is the closest to the Sun and we already knew that.
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