 | | From: | Johnny1000 at webtv.net | | Subject: | Question for sci.astro | | Date: | Sun, 23 Jan 2005 20:48:13 -0800 |
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 | Just out of curiosity, and no offense meant, but why are so many
questions answered here based on a reference to "Wright's cosmology"?
...Isn't there a slight chance that Wright could be wrong in a few
cases? I find it odd that so many here resort to his pages as if his
explanations are indisputable. ...Jon
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| | From: | Martin Brown | | Subject: | Re: Question for sci.astro | | Date: | Mon, 24 Jan 2005 08:57:36 +0000 |
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| Johnny1000@webtv.net wrote:
> Just out of curiosity, and no offense meant, but why are so many
> questions answered here based on a reference to "Wright's cosmology"?
It is because he has put up a set of web pages that summarises good
basic answers to most of the frequently asked questions about cosmology
in a form where they are accessible to the general public.
You could be pointed towards much more detailed mathematical treatments
of the subject but what purpose would that serve?
> ..Isn't there a slight chance that Wright could be wrong in a few
> cases? I find it odd that so many here resort to his pages as if his
> explanations are indisputable. ...Jon
It is entirely possible that some of the answers may be inprecise or
even in the fullness of time wrong in some way. But for now they are a
good description fo what we think we understand about the universe.
The English language is very imprecise compared to the mathematics of
cosmology and it is difficult to describe cosmology precisely and
accurately in natural language.
It is in the nature of scientific research that errors are gradually
weeded out of models as new experimental data becomes available. His
pages provide a pretty good explanation of the current standard model.
They have already been effectively peer reviewed by other amateur and
professional astronomers so most ambiguities are now completely weeded
out. That isn't necessarily true for a quick answer typed into Usenet.
And he is vastly more reliable than any of the nutters that SHOUT IN ALL
CAPITAL LETTERS ABOUT *THEIR* NEW THEORY OF EVERYTHING on the net.
Regards,
Martin Brown
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| | From: | jcamjr | | Subject: | Re: Question for sci.astro | | Date: | 23 Jan 2005 21:24:04 -0800 |
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| I believe it comes down to the fact that it is easier to memorize and
quote than it is to understand and explain.
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