Newbie report continues with Shermer and Gell-Mann

[HawkeyeMD]

Okay, so the adventure continued.

I'm a huge admirer of Michael Shermer's work. I've read most of his books, and the story of how he gave up a lot of pseudo-mystical beliefs is really fascinating. I hugely recommend his stuff.

I hadn't read the little pamphlet he read to us at the Meeting. (Side note: whatever happened to pamphlet publications? Did we just give up and leave them for religious tracts after Thomas Paine? We need more "Common Sense". *G*) Anyway, there were those who wished he'd have spoken more off-the-cuff, but I liked it. Thinking about thinking is a favorite hobby of mine, and that's basically what he was talking about. Having said that, I didn't really take notes. He's definitely a guy I would like to have over for dinner sometime; he'd be a great guest.

Then, after a short break, on came Murray Gell-Mann. There are relatively few times in one's life that you can reliably say to yourself, I'm probably in the presence of the smartest guy I'll ever meet. This was one of those times.

I'm a certifiable physics fangirl. I can't do it myself, but people who really *get* this stuff just blow me away. It's so fascinating. And how cool must it be to know that you've been one of the only people in the world who understands something new? Or the *only* person in the world, because you just discovered it?

Dr. Gell-Mann was funny, interesting, down-to-earth and he got off the best lines of the whole Meeting. His talk ranged over presidencies and poets, science and sociology, and despite his line about helping to stamp out the humanities, he obviously knows them too. Anyone who can quote Voltaire AND Browning as well as understanding the nature of quarks is obviously a guy I would listen to all day. One of the best things he said, amongst all the great one-liners, was his verdict on those who would decide scientific questions by politics: "It's not just science that's at stake, it's reality. These people want to put their thumb on the scales."

That says it all, really. See, science is not what we do by popular vote, or because it's what we want to decide, or because it would be convenient. Science is what we do to figure out what it actually *is*.

Get that, IDers?

I have to give huge, huge props to the science teacher, who I would be happy to identify if he's reading this and will let me know his name, who stood up and asked what the role of the science teacher could ideally be in this whole science vs. politics debate. Not just because of COURSE we should applaud those who are in the trenches with the kids trying to provide a voice of reason, or because I have a huge admiration for teachers in general, because I've had such good ones. No, the major props go out because Dr. Gell-Mann answered with the line, "There's always martyrdom."

And then after the laughter and applause died down, this guy still had the presence of mind and the quickness of tongue to respond, "Is there a second choice?"

I love that. I usually only think of good comebacks three hours later when it's too late.

Okay, that's it for now! Coming next: Stanley Krippner, the great Randi himself, and Penn Jillette!

 

[T'ai Chi]

See, science is not what we do by popular vote, or because it's what we want to decide, or because it would be convenient. Science is what we do to figure out what it actually *is*.

* where "is" often means results frequently consistent with a model.

 

[HawkeyeMD]

* where "is" often means results frequently consistent with a model.

Indeed.

Shockingly, we scientists think "reproducibility" and "confirmation" are virtues.

 

[Hutch]

Hawkeye, going to "borrow" your thread for a moment. Your comments on Dr. Gell-Mann triggered my memory of the man.

On Friday morning I came down early to grab my seat and get some of thet free breakfast. Suddenly Jeff Wagg was there asking me to go with Rebecca to breakfast at the Cafe. He also corralled Joshua Korsoi (IIRC), another board denizen, and thrust some money into his hand to cover all our meals...it was then I found out that I was having breakfast with Dr. Gell-Mann!!

I have no idea what I said, outside of trying to explain Star Trek and Quark's bar (with rebecca's help) to him. A delightful man who obviously doesn't like waiting (when the servers didn't stop at the table within 60 seconds of our sitting down, he got up and corralled one-verbally, I mean).

But having read your post, I kinda wish you would have had the opportunity to take my place, I think you would have gotten much more out of it than I.

Press on.

 

[Hindmost]

On Saturday, I sat down and had lunch with Dr. Gell-Mann. I was able to discuss a little cosmology with him and hear his views on cosmic expansion among other things. A truly exceptional person. Something I will never forget.

glenn

 

[TJ]

There are relatively few times in one's life that you can reliably say to yourself, I'm probably in the presence of the smartest guy I'll ever meet. This was one of those times.

I shared a table with Dr. Gell-Mann, Randi, and Ed Lu at the Celebrity Dinner. I was absolutely blown away by the power of this man's mind. It was like being at the event horizon staring aghast at the black hole.

Don't start with me about not being able to see the black hole, it's the best metaphor I could come up with.

I've heard of a 'towering intellect', and I know some really smart people, but I had never met a true genius before. Gell-Mann was that.

 

[HawkeyeMD]

Oh, MAN am I jealous of all of you. *g*

The best I could do was on Saturday, I was standing next to Dr. Gell-Mann at the book-sales table, and one of the volunteers bashfully asked if he'd sign her nametag, since his book was sold out. So I thought to myself, what am I, nuts? So I *ran* up to my room and got my copy, and fortunately he was still there when I got back. So I have his autograph, and he was very sweet and gracious, but I was too overwhelmed (and out of breath) to try and start a conversation.

"Borrow"?? This is exactly what this thread should be about. *g* Thank you all for sharing your memories. What an amazing man. It makes me even happier that I got to go to the Meeting.

Hawkeye

 

[supercorgi]

It's too bad you weren't at the Forum party. Dr. Gell-Mann was there and was having a great time -- just like regular folk. I remember having a brief discussion with him about archery and how bows were made and the place of the English longbow in military history. A truly delightful man!