Shock *Heating*?

"C J Campbell" wrote in message
...

"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
ink.net...
I disagree, as long as you allow yourself to think that droughts are a
product of sin or witches, then you will never learn about things like
el
nino and its weather affects. Believing things without any evidence
gave
us
the dark ages.


"I worry that, especially as the Millennium edges nearer, pseudo-science
and
superstition will seem year by year more tempting, the siren song of
unreason more sonorous and attractive. Where have we heard it before?
Whenever our ethnic or national prejudices are aroused, in times of
scarcity, during challenges to national self-esteem or nerve, when we
agonize about our diminished cosmic place and purpose, or when fanaticism
is
building up around us -- then, habits of thought familiar from ages past
reach for the controls.

"The candle flame gutters. Its little pool of light trembles. Darkness
gathers. The demons begin to stir." -- Carl Sagan "The Demon Haunted
World,"
1995.

I read this prophetic passage in the light of 9/11, the xenophobic
reaction
of the political right, the resulting attempt to grab power at all costs
on
the part of the political left, the rise of New Age mysticism and violent
religious fundamentalism, the polarization of the country over abortion,
the
environment, nuclear power, etc.; the incredible acceptance of junk
science
in the court room, people fearful of little airplanes dropping nuclear
weapons on them....

Well, I have to wonder how long it will be before we sink into the long
night of another dark age.


In light of the rapid disappearance of science, math and technology from our
classrooms one can only wonder when not if the next dark age will be upon
us.

Dave Stadt wrote:

In light of the rapid disappearance of science, math and technology from our
classrooms one can only wonder when not if the next dark age will be upon
us.

No fear. The Chinese schools still teach these subjects.

George Patterson
A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that
you look forward to the trip.

"C J Campbell" wrote:
"The candle flame gutters. Its little pool of light trembles.
Darkness gathers. The demons begin to stir."
-- Carl Sagan "The Demon Haunted World,"
1995.

I read this prophetic passage in the light of 9/11, the
xenophobic reaction of the political right, the resulting
attempt to grab power at all costs on the part of the
political left, the rise of New Age mysticism and violent
religious fundamentalism, the polarization of the country
over abortion, the environment, nuclear power, etc.; the
incredible acceptance of junk science in the court room,
people fearful of little airplanes dropping nuclear
weapons on them....

Well, I have to wonder how long it will be before we sink
into the long night of another dark age.

Amen. There seems to be no leadership for dispassionate critical
thinking. While Greenpeace et al. wail that the sky is falling, the Bush
administration deliberately ignores any scientific research that
conflicts with its policy objectives. Meanwhile, "Scientific
Creationism" becomes an idea seriously discussed by school boards and
textbook committees, polls reveal that most Americans believe in
astrology, "posperity preachers" attract throngs, and no conspiracy
theory is too bizarre to attract followers.

We smugly assume that our technically sophisticated information culture
somehow protects us from the follies of ignorance. In fact, it may be
overwhelming us with propaganda and superstition.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM
(remove pants to reply by email)

Dan Luke wrote:

In fact, it may be overwhelming us with propaganda and superstition.

How many times do we calmly accept a label like "television" when "magic" would
be much more appropriate?

George Patterson
A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that
you look forward to the trip.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:eTn_b.385903$na.592869@attbi_s04...
denny - straight from hades...

Thanks, Denny -- I couldn't have said it better myself.

I personally don't believe in either shock cooling *or* shock heating --
but
an awful lot of mechanics do.

So, I treat my engine like it's made out of glass.

"Shock heating" I can understand. When you start your car on a cold morning,
you don't rev the engine to 4000 RPM, do you? Same thing when you start your
airplane's engine; you don't go immediately to full throttle.

Now, spraying cold water onto your engine as soon as you taxi in would be my
idea of "shock cooling".

"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
ink.net...
I disagree, as long as you allow yourself to think that droughts are a
product of sin or witches, then you will never learn about things like el
nino and its weather affects. Believing things without any evidence gave
us
the dark ages.

It's called "faith".

"C J Campbell" wrote in message
...

"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
ink.net...
I disagree, as long as you allow yourself to think that droughts are a
product of sin or witches, then you will never learn about things like
el
nino and its weather affects. Believing things without any evidence
gave
us
the dark ages.


"I worry that, especially as the Millennium edges nearer, pseudo-science
and
superstition will seem year by year more tempting, the siren song of
unreason more sonorous and attractive. Where have we heard it before?
Whenever our ethnic or national prejudices are aroused, in times of
scarcity, during challenges to national self-esteem or nerve, when we
agonize about our diminished cosmic place and purpose, or when fanaticism
is
building up around us -- then, habits of thought familiar from ages past
reach for the controls.

"The candle flame gutters. Its little pool of light trembles. Darkness
gathers. The demons begin to stir." -- Carl Sagan "The Demon Haunted
World,"
1995.

I read this prophetic passage in the light of 9/11, the xenophobic
reaction
of the political right, the resulting attempt to grab power at all costs
on
the part of the political left, the rise of New Age mysticism and violent
religious fundamentalism, the polarization of the country over abortion,
the
environment, nuclear power, etc.; the incredible acceptance of junk
science
in the court room, people fearful of little airplanes dropping nuclear
weapons on them....

Well, I have to wonder how long it will be before we sink into the long
night of another dark age.

One could say that we're well along that road, that a new form of primitive
tribalism is at our door. Whether some form of environmental "Back to the
Pleistocene", or mystical "Dark Ages", it's very real.

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...


Dave Stadt wrote:

In light of the rapid disappearance of science, math and technology from
our
classrooms one can only wonder when not if the next dark age will be
upon
us.

No fear. The Chinese schools still teach these subjects.

Don't confuse "technology" with "science". The Chinese (and most other
nations schools) teach "technology", not "science". Note how technology
abounds in many of the cultures of the fundamentalist Middle East: the
"barbarian with a nuke".

"Dan Luke" wrote in message
...
Amen. There seems to be no leadership for dispassionate critical
thinking. While Greenpeace et al. wail that the sky is falling, the Bush
administration deliberately ignores any scientific research that
conflicts with its policy objectives.

That's been the political game for a couple generations -- Bush is nothing
new in that realm.

Meanwhile, "Scientific
Creationism" becomes an idea seriously discussed by school boards and
textbook committees, polls reveal that most Americans believe in
astrology, "posperity preachers" attract throngs, and no conspiracy
theory is too bizarre to attract followers.

Sounds like the environmental movement.


We smugly assume that our technically sophisticated information culture
somehow protects us from the follies of ignorance. In fact, it may be
overwhelming us with propaganda and superstition.

And our technology can keep such follies at bay by way of the information
age. The days of the dominant media having a monopoly on the dissemination
of "news" is over. OTOH, if people cannot (by lack of training and PROPER
education) sort through information, reason, think critically, etc., then,
yes, we are doomed.

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...


Dan Luke wrote:

In fact, it may be overwhelming us with propaganda and superstition.

How many times do we calmly accept a label like "television" when "magic"
would
be much more appropriate?

And when, academia through the schools of philosophy (the schools of liberal
arts) teaches us that television (or anything else) doesn't really
exist...then propaganda and superstition are institutionalized.