Hoyle-Narlikar Theory

[Wangler]

That is part of the reason, but you may be confusing cause and effect.

It's like asking why we have such sophisticated gasoline-powered internal combustion engines rather than wood-fueled steam engines? Is it because so many more engineers are working on gas engines? Part of the answer is yes, but the underlying cause is that gasoline is superior to wood as an engine fuel.

Same thing here - no young researcher in their right mind would work on this nonsense, because the odds that it's correct are essentially zero. It will survive as a theory until its last proponents die (which may not be long), and then it will go the way of the luminiferous aether, earth-centered solar system, and viscous humors.

Sol,

I have been introduced to the Parameterized Post-Newtonian method of evaluating gravitation theories on the thread that ErkDemon started. Couldn't the QSSC folks determine the PPN terms for their C-field or "ghost" model, and see if it holds water in that way?

 

[sol invictus]

Sol,

I have been introduced to the Parameterized Post-Newtonian method of evaluating gravitation theories on the thread that ErkDemon started. Couldn't the QSSC folks determine the PPN terms for their C-field or "ghost" model, and see if it holds water in that way?

PPN is a framework for characterizing the difference between linear, Newtonian gravity and some non-linear extension of it. It works and it's useful when those differences are small. But the C-field will affect the dynamics strongly even in the Newtonian limit - in other words, there is no Newtonian limit - so it doesn't make much sense to try to consider small perturbations away from Newton.

It might be that if you ignore some of major problems I pointed out (like instability of the vacuum and acausality) you could treat the other effects of the C-field as a small perturbation and parametrize them with PPN. I don't think that would be valid.

 

[Wangler]

I notice that the "Second Crisis in Cosmology Conference" is taking place in Port Angeles, Washington.

http://www.cosmology.info/2008conference/index.html

That is not too far from me.

I might have to go to meet Narlikar, Burbidge, and Arp.

Maybe Arp could sign my copy of the "Atlas of Arp Galaxies: An Observers' Guide and Chronicle"?

Maybe Narlikar could sign my copy of "Quasars and Active Galactic Nuclei"?

Maybe I could ask 'em some questions regarding QSO's and such?

I would like to ask Narkilar some questions about the C-field, if I could manage to frame them in a coherent and intelligent manner.

 

[Dancing David]

Wow, a signed mongraph. Far out!