To paraphrase, M theory is the unification of different aspects of string theory and an expansion on the ideas inherent in those to include a number of new and fascinating concepts that derive from that unification. It's one of the most ambitious theories out there right now and has immeasurable potential to answer questions that have plagued the greatest scientific minds for centuries. It's also one of the many many theories out there that has a very long way to go before anyone might be in any position to really tackle its meaning or implications. At least that's what I thought. But then I saw

">this. And I'm flabbergasted. I had no idea. Since the Gamedev forums are about discussion, allow me to humbly raise the somewhat awkward question of how mental would one have to be to not only think in such a way (which I would imagine any one of the numerous drugs out there might induce), but to actually post it on Youtube? It really is a shame the Google watchdog department doesn't have mercy on folks like that. Makes me want to watch

">techno viking.

This is what happens when someone who is entirely lacking in the necessary mathematical and physical background attempts to work in an area that is on the forefront of modern research. Add in the poster's apparent affection for philosophy and there is no other possible result.

If anything, it's comical. [smile]

Edit: I'm reminded of this quote of Euler:

Quote: Often I have considered the fact that most difficulties which block the progress of students trying to learn analysis stem from this: that although they understand little of ordinary algebra, still they attempt this more subtle art. From this it follows not only that they remain on the fringes, but in addition they entertain strange ideas about the concept of the infinite, which they must try to use.

Euler's talking about students trying to learn analysis without properly learning algebra. Here we're talking about someone trying to do Ph.D. level theoretical physics without appearing to know anything about physics at all.

[Edited by - nilkn on December 5, 2009 8:39:18 PM]

Well, he certainly represents what this theory has achieved so far... lol

DRUGS ARE BAD!

Quote: Original post by nilkn
Add in the poster's apparent affection for philosophy and there is no other possible result.

This, unfortunately, is why a lot of people don't take philosophy seriously.

Philosophy has nothing to do with assigning arbitrary and unsound metaphysical interpretations to observations, and it's not (usually) something that comes after science. Philosophy was (and is) the precurser to science. Science only exists because we can examine what knowledge, proof, evidence, and likelihood mean are.

When people equate philosophy to, religious ramblings, metaphysics, and other random nonsense as this video you end up with things like "oh, the problem of induction doesn't have anything to do with science, because it's just philosophy." Unfortunately even a few real scientists often think that philosophy is about looking at their scientific theories and determining some vague "meaning" from that, which of course inflates the importance of the scientist and makes philosophy look like something completely useless.

I stopped watching when he said pi is like a feeling, WTF. I guess I'm too drunk, I will revisit this in the morning when I am sober. Please tell me I am mistaken ( watch from 3:10 ).

cowsarenotevil: I completely agree. I've taken a few philosophy courses and enjoyed them a good bit. They were nothing like this video, of course.

Just to clarify, my earlier comment wasn't a slam against philosophy; it was a slam against people who aren't very good at philosophy trying to apply it to something they suck even more at (theoretical physics).

Quote: Original post by Tha_HoodRat
I stopped watching when he said pi is like a feeling, WTF.

I think he meant pie.

Pie is definitely like a feeling. A feeling in the shape of a pie which taste like strawberry.

He's definitely on pod right there. If you gave him a piece of garbage he would be able to talk to you about it for hours. I'm surprised he didn't cried. Maybe he cut out that part though.

Quote: Original post by nilkn
Just to clarify, my earlier comment wasn't a slam against philosophy; it was a slam against people who aren't very good at philosophy trying to apply it to something they suck even more at (theoretical physics).

I thought as much, but I wanted to preempt any "yeah, philosophy sucks" responses.

Quote: Original post by owl
I'm surprised he didn't cried. Maybe he cut out that part though.

Heh, I was also waiting for that.

But when he goes on about how the center of that plasma thingy is 'the vibration' and how that vibration is a feeling, he's damn right. You bet you'll get an intense feeling of vibration when you touch the center electrode... I was actually hoping he'd do something like that.