Ah, well...apparently I am back. My wonderful girlfriend re-upped my ancient account for my birthday and here I am. I've deleted my old friends list since most of them are long gone and those few remaining, to be honest, I don't remember much.
The site looks good; I think the hiatus was good (like torpor for dealing with changing times) and now, after much trial...
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The site looks good; I think the hiatus was good (like torpor for dealing with changing times) and now, after much trial...
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Sigh.
It's a trend I guess. First Mara, then Astrokreep23 and now me.
I'm going to have to say goodbye. Sadly I don't have time to post on all my Friends journals a personnal farewell...so this will have to do. Lotus and Pihka...thanks, you really made this site fun, but I don't have the time to be here anymore.
Take care all...and may the "mass...
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It's a trend I guess. First Mara, then Astrokreep23 and now me.
I'm going to have to say goodbye. Sadly I don't have time to post on all my Friends journals a personnal farewell...so this will have to do. Lotus and Pihka...thanks, you really made this site fun, but I don't have the time to be here anymore.
Take care all...and may the "mass...
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VIEW 9 of 9 COMMENTS
evanx:
Dude! You are still here!!!!!!!!!!! 
dragonmatrix23:
Hey, they finally aproved "The Mended Drum." We now have a PTerry group!! ;-)
DM
DM
I can't think of anything to update, really. I just wanted to move on from the last entry. Yeah.
How are you?
How are you?
VIEW 9 of 9 COMMENTS
ananael:
I am good. How good? You'll never know...
anemotis:
So you're a real-life scientist---how does it feel to be walking around with a giant mystery in your head that you can't scratch? (or can you?) 
Comics and aardvarks are good for fixing the damage that comes from thinking about that stuff too much. So there is a connection
.
Comics and aardvarks are good for fixing the damage that comes from thinking about that stuff too much. So there is a connection
.Well Spring Break has come and gone, spent more or less blissfully in the arms of the Lineage II beta, a book by Bertrand Russell and as little work as possible.
Now it is Monday morning, and doth knocks the Worlde Real. Joy.
Now it is Monday morning, and doth knocks the Worlde Real. Joy.
VIEW 8 of 8 COMMENTS
vielus:
Hi. thats all, just hi.
vielus:
It's ok. It really is. 
Sigh.
Midterms are this week and I've had a throat/cold thing for the last four days. I am not happy. I apologize for not being around or visiting people's journals--I've been otherwise occupied.
Oh, and replacing circuits as the new, reigning This Sucks is...*drum-roll*...the Biot-Savart Law! I like electro-magnetics, but goddammit, people!
Always willing to share my pain, I present to you...Biot-Savart!
dB...
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Midterms are this week and I've had a throat/cold thing for the last four days. I am not happy. I apologize for not being around or visiting people's journals--I've been otherwise occupied.
Oh, and replacing circuits as the new, reigning This Sucks is...*drum-roll*...the Biot-Savart Law! I like electro-magnetics, but goddammit, people!
Always willing to share my pain, I present to you...Biot-Savart!
dB...
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VIEW 9 of 9 COMMENTS
galvagin:
By "philosophical science" I assume you mean what I'd call "philosophy of science." I haven't read the stuff you've mentioned (aside from the Chalmers), as philosophy of science isn't really my field.
Epistemology and phil sci. are definitely linked. Epistemology is, generally speaking, the theory of knowledge - epistemologists deal with all the questions like, "how do we learn things about the world?" and "how can we justify the things we think are true?" So there's a sense in which you could see the philosophy of science as almost a sub-field of epistemology (with some overlap into metaphysics). At the same time, many epistemologists (esp. early-mid 20th century analytic philosophers) have taken their cue from the methods of the sciences in trying to build theories of knowledge. Interestingly, I always thought of Chalmers as more of a metaphysics guy than an epistemology guy.
I have more background in epistemology than in phil sci. But there are a few things I can think of that you might want to check out, to get a sense of whether philosophy of science is the right kind of place for you...
Thomas Kuhn - _The Structure of Scientific Revolutions_
Karl Popper - can't think of any titles off the top of my head, but pretty much anything aside from _The Open Society and its Enemies_ is on Phil. Sci.
W.V.O. Quine - "Epistemology Naturalized"
Bertrand Russell - again, sorry, can't think of any titles.. works mostly in phil. language, but has written some classic stuff on sense-datum theories of epistemology
If you're feeling a bit more ambitious, also good in the area are:
Michael Dummett - _The Logical Basis of Metaphysics_ (deals esp. with the connection b/t epistemology and metaphysics, less on science in particular)
Susan Haack - _Philosophy of Logics_ (has a section on multivalent quantum logic and other 'deviant' logics, some with scientific applications)
Nancy Cartwright - _How the Laws of Physics Lie_ or (shorter) "The Truth Doesn't Explain Much" (more metaphysics than epistemology, but a good representative of scientific particularism)
Bas van Fraasen - sorry, again, blanking on titles
Edmund Husserl - _The Crisis of the European Sciences_ (a different philosophical perspective than the rest)
Does that help?
Epistemology and phil sci. are definitely linked. Epistemology is, generally speaking, the theory of knowledge - epistemologists deal with all the questions like, "how do we learn things about the world?" and "how can we justify the things we think are true?" So there's a sense in which you could see the philosophy of science as almost a sub-field of epistemology (with some overlap into metaphysics). At the same time, many epistemologists (esp. early-mid 20th century analytic philosophers) have taken their cue from the methods of the sciences in trying to build theories of knowledge. Interestingly, I always thought of Chalmers as more of a metaphysics guy than an epistemology guy.
I have more background in epistemology than in phil sci. But there are a few things I can think of that you might want to check out, to get a sense of whether philosophy of science is the right kind of place for you...
Thomas Kuhn - _The Structure of Scientific Revolutions_
Karl Popper - can't think of any titles off the top of my head, but pretty much anything aside from _The Open Society and its Enemies_ is on Phil. Sci.
W.V.O. Quine - "Epistemology Naturalized"
Bertrand Russell - again, sorry, can't think of any titles.. works mostly in phil. language, but has written some classic stuff on sense-datum theories of epistemology
If you're feeling a bit more ambitious, also good in the area are:
Michael Dummett - _The Logical Basis of Metaphysics_ (deals esp. with the connection b/t epistemology and metaphysics, less on science in particular)
Susan Haack - _Philosophy of Logics_ (has a section on multivalent quantum logic and other 'deviant' logics, some with scientific applications)
Nancy Cartwright - _How the Laws of Physics Lie_ or (shorter) "The Truth Doesn't Explain Much" (more metaphysics than epistemology, but a good representative of scientific particularism)
Bas van Fraasen - sorry, again, blanking on titles
Edmund Husserl - _The Crisis of the European Sciences_ (a different philosophical perspective than the rest)
Does that help?
ananael:
See DotD post on Astro's page...
Circuits suck.
Peace out.
Peace out.
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
enelysion:
I agree!
radiofrank:
Amen. My least favourite things in the world.
So I've been looking into Environmental Physics lately, and, as usual, there is very little of it studied here in the US. Much like fluid dynamics, the US seems to think that there is nothing new to study so they lump everything into an Engineering of some sort--not to knock engineers, environmental or otherwise, they are cool.
But if I want to study fluid dynamics...
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But if I want to study fluid dynamics...
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VIEW 11 of 11 COMMENTS
hellomrworld:
Enviromental Physics is a very interesting idea ... what would that actually entail ...
And I do believe they treat their Ph.Ds far better in Europe then the states ...
Good luck interesting concept ... ecq
And I do believe they treat their Ph.Ds far better in Europe then the states ...
Good luck interesting concept ... ecq
ananael:
I have been told by someone who wishes to use the computer that you have been slacking on the homework in order to play NWN. Bad D., bad!
This has been a teasing public service message paid for by Mara.
This has been a teasing public service message paid for by Mara.
H≡[(1/a)(da/dt)]=(8πG/3) ρ + λ/3 - k/a
Yes! I figured out how to use math symbols and Greek letters in my journal! Oh, happy day!
Ahem, sorry. For those not already thoroughly confused, the above equation is an equation of motion for the universe, derived from Einstein's field equations, where H is Hubble's constant, a is the cosmic...
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Yes! I figured out how to use math symbols and Greek letters in my journal! Oh, happy day!
Ahem, sorry. For those not already thoroughly confused, the above equation is an equation of motion for the universe, derived from Einstein's field equations, where H is Hubble's constant, a is the cosmic...
Read More
VIEW 17 of 17 COMMENTS
radiofrank:
Yeah, you're probably going to get really sick of me if I keep doing this. 
No, I don't mind you asking...at the moment I work at Radio Shack, which is not really physics related, but it occasionally affords me the opportunity to use some equations regarding electric circuits. It honesty is not what I saw myself doing with my degree, but it's fun and it pays the bills, so I can't complain. I would, however, very much like to go back to school and get a teaching degree so I can confuse teenagers with this stuff in the same way it confused me when I was sixteen.
No, I don't mind you asking...at the moment I work at Radio Shack, which is not really physics related, but it occasionally affords me the opportunity to use some equations regarding electric circuits. It honesty is not what I saw myself doing with my degree, but it's fun and it pays the bills, so I can't complain. I would, however, very much like to go back to school and get a teaching degree so I can confuse teenagers with this stuff in the same way it confused me when I was sixteen.
radiofrank:
An electrodynamics problem set? You poor bastard! That was not one of my favourite topics. I like relativity and astronomy related physics.
Yeah, some of the people who work for Radio Shack are knobs...some of them are in the head office, some are in the stores. Your situation sounds typical...I probably would have looked through the manual myself, but only if you hadn't already done it - that way I wouldn't look like a total idiot.
Yeah, some of the people who work for Radio Shack are knobs...some of them are in the head office, some are in the stores. Your situation sounds typical...I probably would have looked through the manual myself, but only if you hadn't already done it - that way I wouldn't look like a total idiot.
"The fun part about primitive crafts is they're so easy to make while you watch TV," Mona says. "And they put you in touch with all sorts of ancient energies and stuff."
Natch.
Natch.
VIEW 5 of 5 COMMENTS
vielus:
hmm school and stuff. hm ok i guess you are off the hook. Some other time though.
ananael:
You sure it's the primitive crafts putting you in touch with ancient energies, and not just the umpteenth hitler special on the History channel?
"Didn't count on my loyal army of prostitutes, did you?"
God, I love that movie. Yeah.
God, I love that movie. Yeah.
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
maurauder:
Happy Valentines Day! 
Happy Valentines Day!
vielus:
HA!!! I know not what movie you talk of! Blah on your movie , ug. tell Ananael to get ready to be drunk, you want to come along? 
, ug. tell Ananael to get ready to be drunk, you want to come along? Demoivre is currently avoiding a painful work/energy/field problem because it has too gaddamned many Force vectors--which means too many freaking gradients with too many bloody partial's--and is hoping that surfing the porn will somehow present him with an easier way of solving the beast.
Demoivre has also begun talking about himself in the third person because, well, he is an idiot and just realized he...
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Demoivre has also begun talking about himself in the third person because, well, he is an idiot and just realized he...
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VIEW 7 of 7 COMMENTS
astrokreep23:
So THATS why you were being mopey. I thought maybe they discontinued red stripe or something.
maurauder:
You should come over this friday eve. It's the 13th and also my Boy's B-day party. Much merriment and debauchery to ensue. Dress like 'bad luck'. (this is open to interpretation)
"But the universe carried not answers, but questions. As the alien deep beneath the surface of Z'ha'dum had said, it was simply seeking understanding, as was he.
Who? What? Why?
He had found the beginning of those answers to those questions as they related to himself. But a whole universe awaited. He turned his mind toward it. He wanted to see it, to feel it....
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Who? What? Why?
He had found the beginning of those answers to those questions as they related to himself. But a whole universe awaited. He turned his mind toward it. He wanted to see it, to feel it....
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VIEW 6 of 6 COMMENTS
hellomrworld:
I dont know what VSL is off hand .... (cosmology abbrev.) ... How did the monument kiss work out?? .. Enjoy your Saturday ... ecq
hellomrworld:
I am very glad you enjoyed your monument kisses ... pass it on to your friends .... the idea of a variable speed of light is intriguing ... if you have a url of a website/article about this (hopefully in layman's language) please send it to my comments page ... ecq
See? I still remember you!
I still talk to astrokreep once in a blue moon times ten. Do the math on that one buster!
I'm glad that you've returned. You three were my first sg friends ever. Waaaaay back in the day. haha.
He's on my msn list, but I can't remember the last time I saw him online. Maybe he's blocked me?
Meh! I'm happy you've returned.
It's weird, but I think about you guys every now and then.