Tell me what you know about Black holes

[Lul Thyme]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse

If it was enough to convince Fields Medalist to become mathematicians, the fact that you get to correct Spec on black holes is close to irrelevant...

I simply think you are overstating the importance of these works in motivating people...

Well I didn't really state precisely how important it is, so it's hard for me to have overstated it.
But say it has "some" importance.
Isn't that enough?

[KrazyHorse]

No.

[Last Conformist]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


Again, this can be accomplished with a book about magic pixies.

Nah, 'cos the sort of people who read popsci don't want to read about pixies. There's another section in the book shop for that sort of people.

Now, on the subject of utility, this particular debate has a distinct lack of any. It's not like your grumpiness will prevent anyone from writing any books ...

[KrazyHorse]

Bah humbug.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Why not? I understood phase diagrams and how to extract work out of a heat engine before I entered high school.

That counts as thermo?

[Lul Thyme]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
No.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree here.


In mathematics, there is a kind of saying that the way mathematicians can contribute, "the young prove theorems and the old write books".
Of course, in this context, books include both "popular" ones and graduate level, but in both cases, the level is not research level. The point being that the community recognizes that this process is important for the future.

From what I know, this is also what most of the community thinks in science, that these books are important.

I sort of wonder what kind of motivation you think people like Feynman have when they write books full of **** like QED.
From what I know about him, I doubt he was in it for the fame and fortune.
He must have thought it served an important purpose.

[Last Conformist]

@Kuci: That's classical phenomenological thermo.

[Jon Miller]

I always hated popsci books, prefering to read the real thing later.

Doin't know about how I feel about others reading them. I do hate someone trying to explain to me about something that I understand better than they do but that I don't understand fully.

JM

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
It was fine, but also full of ****. I read it when I was already doing my BSc.

I enjoyed his other books better (autobiographical ones)

Surely you are joking Mr Feynman was great!

JM