Skepticism and The Normal

[zooterkin]

Good on you, Moby. I got as far as checking that BF really believed that that pile of disconnected nonsense was an argument, but didn't have enough strength to try to take it apart, especially since he's not going to understand.

And let's see what evasions will he come up with now, to try to maintain that he does understand musical terms.

 

[JonnyFive]

Oh, and by the way, I didn't use the word "pessimestic" either. There is no such word.

There is now.

I would like to chime in on the glass full/empty issue. There is another issue here as well that makes it somewhat murkier: it seems that the starting and ending states of the glass are important.

Basically, if you are emptying the glass of the water, it would seem most correct to indicate it is "half empty," as you are attempting to turn it from full to empty. Similarly, if you are filling the glass it would seem most correct to speak of it as "half full," as this most accurately describes the state of the glass within the broader context.

However, if you simply happen upon a glass filled half way with water, it comes down to the preference of the observer. I generally choose to say "half full of water" because the glass in its natural state is empty, and thus describing it with varying degrees of fullness strikes me as somewhat more accurate.

But how can we be sure it's half anything? Do we have sufficiently precise measurements to make that decision? How do we define "full?" If the glass contains water taking up approximately 51.23% of its described maximum capacity, what is it?

 

[Mojo]

http://badscience.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=36993#36993

 

[Moochie]

I knew there was a reason I stayed out of this thread: Babblefish.

M.

 

[calebprime]

It is also the basis for a very cool trick you can do with a trombone, where you can play a major chord with a single trombone - you play the root note on the trombone while singing the fifth note of the chord. By singing the fifth note you boost the major 10th harmonic, giving you the third note of the major chord!

Peace Out

Mobyseven

derail, if that were possible:

you dig Albert Mangelsdorff?

 

[Mobyseven]

derail, if that were possible:

you dig Albert Mangelsdorff?

Actually, I must confess that I don't know who that is (though I'd quite like to find out).

I must also confess that of all the instruments I play, trombone is not one of them.

The 'playing a chord on a trombone' trick was explained to me (and demonstrated, which sounded mighty cool) by a friend of mine who plays trombone and also sings - being able to sing is certainly a bonus if you're trying to pull off this trick, as your pitch has to be pretty spot on to get the effect.

But Albert Mangelsdorff - I'm listening?

 

[calebprime]

Actually, I must confess that I don't know who that is (though I'd quite like to find out).

I must also confess that of all the instruments I play, trombone is not one of them.

The 'playing a chord on a trombone' trick was explained to me (and demonstrated, which sounded mighty cool) by a friend of mine who plays trombone and also sings - being able to sing is certainly a bonus if you're trying to pull off this trick, as your pitch has to be pretty spot on to get the effect.

But Albert Mangelsdorff - I'm listening?

Sorry for delay in answering but I got lost somewhere in the Buzz Lightyear thread. Scary. Clean living from now on for me.

Mangelsdorff is (was?) a trombonist who took this technique so far that he did entire solo albums. Heard him back in the 80's. Good sense of humor, and pretty musical despite the emphasis on this technique. He could do a sort of boogie background and do melodies on top of it. Not too "avant garde" if that equals hard to listen to.

Don't know if anyone since then has taken this technique farther...Steve Turre', maybe.

ah, it;s all clear now; DJJ simply lacks a little finger on his right hand.

 

[jimbob]

Sorry for delay in answering but I got lost somewhere in the Buzz Lightyear thread. Scary. Clean living from now on for me.

ah, it;s all clear now; DJJ simply lacks a little finger on his right hand.

YOu frequent a DJJ thread, and think that Buzz Lightyear is scary...

Well that is your subjective opinion...

Clean living from now on for me.

 

[Mobyseven]

Sorry for delay in answering but I got lost somewhere in the Buzz Lightyear thread. Scary. Clean living from now on for me.

Mangelsdorff is (was?) a trombonist who took this technique so far that he did entire solo albums. Heard him back in the 80's. Good sense of humor, and pretty musical despite the emphasis on this technique. He could do a sort of boogie background and do melodies on top of it. Not too "avant garde" if that equals hard to listen to.

Don't know if anyone since then has taken this technique farther...Steve Turre', maybe.

ah, it;s all clear now; DJJ simply lacks a little finger on his right hand.

Ah, cool. Being a child of the late-eighties I plead ignorance to him. But sounds interesting!

What on earth was going on at the end of your post there??? You're not from Australia are you? Because if you've been awake for as long as I have I would entirely understand it if your brain was scrambled...mmm...scrambled eggs. What I wouldn't give for som...SEE WHAT I MEAN???

 

[calebprime]

ah, it;s all clear now; DJJ simply lacks a little finger on his right hand.

DJJ=DavidJayJordan

he types his apostrophes like ; for no apparent reason.

i hit the ; key by mistake and realized it was next to the ' key.

i;m sorry. no more cryptic messages.

being fussy, i think people who persistently type the same typos are funny.

how much can i labor this explanation?

 

[calebprime]

YOu frequent a DJJ thread, and think that Buzz Lightyear is scary...

Well that is your subjective opinion...

yeah, DJJ is scarier, but who among us hasn't fantasized about contacting Egyptian deities by chanting for hours in a cold room with live acoustics? I know I have.

or maybe it's the good intentions? Sorry about that.

To date myself:

He takes all my money
You know I'm through with Buzz
Yes I'm through with Buzz,
All right, oh yeah, uh huh
He's not very funny
You know I'm through with Buzz
Yes I'm through with Buzz,
All right, oh yeah, uh huh

I remember when he stole my girl
Drug her all around the world
You know I'm cool, yes I feel alright
'Cept when I'm in my room and it's late at night

Maybe he's a fairy
You know I'm through with Buzz
Yes I'm through with Buzz
All right, oh yeah, uh huh, all right

 

[Mojo]

Mangelsdorff is (was?) a trombonist who took this technique so far that he did entire solo albums.

Was, I'm afraid. Died a couple of years ago. I can recommend an album called Triplicity, which is a live recording from the late 70s, backed by just bass & drums, but that's the only one of his I've got.

 

[WWHP]

had another deadline come in, will be back shortly, sorry

 

[TheGline]

Bubbelfish, what do you want from us?

 

[Mobyseven]

Bubbelfish, what do you want from us?

Our sanity.

 

[TheGline]

Our sanity.

Our approval, is what it seems more like. It's not something he's come out and said, but why else would he keep coming back and posting about this stuff unless he was trying to just wear us down and make us go "You're right! Your ideas are incredibly valuable and useful contributions to mankind's understanding of his world!"

I wonder two things, and I apologize if they were mentioned earlier in the thread and I missed them:

1) Has he discussed any of these ideas with people who teach logic, philosophy or math for a living (who would seem to be the most likely go-to folks for something of this ilk)?
2) If so, what did they say?

 

[JonnyFive]

1) Has he discussed any of these ideas with people who teach logic, philosophy or math for a living (who would seem to be the most likely go-to folks for something of this ilk)?

He claims to have approached some people about this, but no one that is an expert in philosophy, mathematics, or logic. Specifically, he has not approached anyone knowledgable in mathematics, and he hasn't mentioned philosophy or logic. He did, however, mention approaching people in "marketing" or "business" about this.

Make of that what you will.

 

[TheGline]

He claims to have approached some people about this, but no one that is an expert in philosophy, mathematics, or logic. Specifically, he has not approached anyone knowledgable in mathematics, and he hasn't mentioned philosophy or logic. He did, however, mention approaching people in "marketing" or "business" about this.

Make of that what you will.

Here's what I make of that: he's not interested in whether or not his ideas are testable or useful, but simply in putting his name to them.

This reminds me a little too much of the "ZOMG AMAZING SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH" people who conduct their peer-review by press release.

 

[pv+]

Bubbelfish, what do you want from us?

He wants your attention, that's all. In fact he craves it because it makes him feel important. He's found the Internet is an easy, cheap and pain-free way of getting attention. Underneath all the ignorant, illiterate and largely meaningless bluster he spouts is a bit of plain old attention seeking that most children indulge in periodically during their infant and adolescent years. That Rome isn't actually an infant, but a more middle aged C-list showbiz related individual, speaks volumes about his emotional and intellectual immaturity.

 

[drkitten]

1) Has he discussed any of these ideas with people who teach logic, philosophy or math for a living (who would seem to be the most likely go-to folks for something of this ilk)?

A number on this very thread, who might be expected to be supportive and helpful if the idea were worth pursuing.

2) If so, what did they say?

How shall I phrase this? -- "they were unsupportive and unhelpful." But no less supportive and helpful than the material merited...