rdp@teddy.UUCP (09/30/85)
[] This article is probably a bit late, but I found it most amusing in the shadow of the recent debate over the validity of the various ether theories that sallied forth here about 2 months back. It seems that the British are really into proving that Einstein was nuts and the Michelson-Morely experiment was philosophically dishonest, etc. etc. The dabate has been raging hot and heavy in the British magazine "Electronics and Wireless World" mow for several years, and it continues even as we speak. This issue has the normal compliment of really strange alternative-relativity letters, plus one which I found most appropriate and amusing, and I quote it in its entirety: "Some time ago I formulated two maxims which recent correspondence in your journal remind me of. 1) Everyone with a superficial understanding of relativity and electromagnetism or quantum dynamics will construct their own versions, complete with all paradoxes rersolved, the elimination of 'unnecessary axioms' and thoroughly proved by 'though experiment'. 2) These people will either a) continue to srudy and develop a deeper understanding, b) forget it, or c) try to persuade the Establishment of its errors by writing lots of letters "A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of meeting a man who was not only a specialist in relativity but had also appeared on television from time to time. I enquired as to whether he ever got a eccentric letters as a result of this exposure. It transpired tha he had and initially spent much time writing detailed replies. In spite of valiant efforts, at last sheer volume had swamped him. His solution was to pair up authors of similar viewpoint and send each a copy of the other's letter with a covering note suggesting that they correspond with each other. The result was invariably an agrieved reply from each wanting to know why on earth he had suggested that they discuss their ideas with 'that nutcase'." Charles Williams University of Durham To this, I can add but little. Dick Pierce