POV-Ray : Newsgroups : povray.off-topic : Physics, relativity, quantum, etc. : Re: Physics, relativity, quantum, etc. Server Time
7 Sep 2024 07:22:38 EDT (-0400)
  Re: Physics, relativity, quantum, etc.  
From: Warp
Date: 22 Jan 2009 15:07:21
Message: <4978d1f8@news.povray.org>
clipka <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> Then again, I could turn my speculation indeed into an objection: As of now, no
> singularity (i.e. a condition where a formula gives "infinity" as an answer)
> predicted by any scientific theory has ever been observed in true life.

  Lack of evidence is not evidence of the contrary. Just because a
singularity has not been observed and measured doesn't necessarily mean
that singularities cannot exist.

  There are basically two choices:

1) Assume that GR equations are correct in all situations, including
   the extreme ones. There's little evidence to show that this wouldn't
   be so. One consequence of this is accepting singularities, at least
   until better evidence shows up.

2) Object to the notion of a singularity to be possible. This implies that
   GR equations do *not* work in all possible situations, and that they
   start to deviate in extreme conditions. However, no concrete evidence
   of this exists, nor widely accepted alternative theories.

  It may well be that singularities can not exist in this Universe, and
that something else is happening with collapsing stars (stars do collapse
due to gravity, which is something basically nobody doubts). However, as
long as viable theories or, better yet, evidence of alternatives are not
presented, science in general has to take choice #1.

  As far as I understand it, science is not about the Truth. The Truth may
be impossible to achieve. Science is about the best we know so far. About
getting as close to the truth as we can, by observing and measuring.

-- 
                                                          - Warp


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