Philosophy
A few days ago we saw that Joe the Plumber (representing the view of thousands or millions of Americans) prefers the Bible to science books because science books go through constant revisions while the Bible contains eternal, unchanging truth.
Of course, Joe the Plumber and company probably don't realize that, over the last few thousands of years, the Bible has gone through countless revisions, additions, omissions, translations, translations of translations, etc. And many of these, of course, are based on either innocent human error at best or ideological manipulation at worst.
When genuine science books come up with revisions, on the other hand, the reason is that new evidence has been shown to challenge some of our former ideas, and there is no sense in holding on to ideas that have been empirically shown to be deficient or at least inconsistent with other things we have evidence to believe are true.
Today we have a simple example of this idea: why Pluto got "demoted" from the status of planet to the master of the Kuiper Belt:
And if you want a more detailed explanation of our changing views of Pluto (and the reasons why), NASA has a nice video. And if Neil deGrasse Tyson is more your style, you can check him out talking about the whole Pluto debacle, including all the hate mail he's been getting from second graders, or you can check out his NOVA documentary The Pluto Files.
- Neil Degrasse Tyson Smacked By Kids Over Pluto's Status
"6 Angry Letters Kids Sent Neil deGrasse Tyson About Pluto" by Lucas Reilly August 4th, 2013 Mental Floss In 2000, the Rose Center for Earth and Space opened with a giant model of the solar system as its centerpiece. But something was different about...
- Nova's "pluto Files"
Tonight on most public broadcasting stations NOVA will offer a program entitled Pluto Files. Since its discovery in 1930, Pluto has held a warm place in the public imagination. So, when the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium...
- "pluto A Planet" Poll
Should Pluto be considered a planet? Yes....9 [90%] No....1 [10%] Just a guess, but I would bet that those voted "Yes" are lay persons and not bona fide astronomers. Such controversy. Simply put...if the astronomers wish to redefine the characteristics...
- Tyson, Weintraub, Tombaugh & Pluto
Clyde Tombaugh Alan Boyle, MSNBC's science reporter, discusses Neil deGrasse Tyson's book The Pluto Files and David Weintraub's book Is Pluto a Planet? There is also an interview with Clyde Tombaugh [including video clips]. MSNBC Tyson's...
- "the Pluto Files" By Neil Degrasse Tyson
The Pluto Files by Neil deGrasse Tyson ISBN-10: 0393065200 ISBN-13: 978-0393065206 Well, Mr. Tyson may be stepping on some toes here. A review by Manuela Hoelterhoff, "Pluto's Enemy Speaks; Lady Comet Hunter: Manuela Hoelterhoff", appeared at...
Philosophy
Is Pluto a Planet?
Of course, Joe the Plumber and company probably don't realize that, over the last few thousands of years, the Bible has gone through countless revisions, additions, omissions, translations, translations of translations, etc. And many of these, of course, are based on either innocent human error at best or ideological manipulation at worst.
When genuine science books come up with revisions, on the other hand, the reason is that new evidence has been shown to challenge some of our former ideas, and there is no sense in holding on to ideas that have been empirically shown to be deficient or at least inconsistent with other things we have evidence to believe are true.
Today we have a simple example of this idea: why Pluto got "demoted" from the status of planet to the master of the Kuiper Belt:
And if you want a more detailed explanation of our changing views of Pluto (and the reasons why), NASA has a nice video. And if Neil deGrasse Tyson is more your style, you can check him out talking about the whole Pluto debacle, including all the hate mail he's been getting from second graders, or you can check out his NOVA documentary The Pluto Files.
- Neil Degrasse Tyson Smacked By Kids Over Pluto's Status
"6 Angry Letters Kids Sent Neil deGrasse Tyson About Pluto" by Lucas Reilly August 4th, 2013 Mental Floss In 2000, the Rose Center for Earth and Space opened with a giant model of the solar system as its centerpiece. But something was different about...
- Nova's "pluto Files"
Tonight on most public broadcasting stations NOVA will offer a program entitled Pluto Files. Since its discovery in 1930, Pluto has held a warm place in the public imagination. So, when the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium...
- "pluto A Planet" Poll
Should Pluto be considered a planet? Yes....9 [90%] No....1 [10%] Just a guess, but I would bet that those voted "Yes" are lay persons and not bona fide astronomers. Such controversy. Simply put...if the astronomers wish to redefine the characteristics...
- Tyson, Weintraub, Tombaugh & Pluto
Clyde Tombaugh Alan Boyle, MSNBC's science reporter, discusses Neil deGrasse Tyson's book The Pluto Files and David Weintraub's book Is Pluto a Planet? There is also an interview with Clyde Tombaugh [including video clips]. MSNBC Tyson's...
- "the Pluto Files" By Neil Degrasse Tyson
The Pluto Files by Neil deGrasse Tyson ISBN-10: 0393065200 ISBN-13: 978-0393065206 Well, Mr. Tyson may be stepping on some toes here. A review by Manuela Hoelterhoff, "Pluto's Enemy Speaks; Lady Comet Hunter: Manuela Hoelterhoff", appeared at...