Re: Radon, smoking and LNT

[BLHamrick@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 6/30/2003 8:29:09 AM Pacific Standard Time, crispy_bird@YAHOO.COM writes:


> Isn't this equivalent to inventing your own scheme for
>
> solving thermodynamic problems, and then saying that
>
> other physicists are wrong when they object to the
>
> results?



Sorry, I just have to butt in here...There are many ways to skin a cat, so inventing one's own scheme to solve thermodynamics problems is perfectly valid, so long as "a" follows from "b," the calculations are performed accurately, and the assumptions used are reasonable and reasonably justified.


One then may simply reconcile the two methodologies by showing they are mathematically equivalent (such as can be shown comparing Pauli's and Dirac's matrix mechanics formulation of quantum mechanics vs. Shroedinger's wave mechanics formulation).


If the results of the alternative formulation counter the results of the traditional methodology, then what should be done is to identify the differences in the methodologies and design an independent experiment to test which theory has better predictive powers, preferably outside of the sphere of the original experiment - i.e., turn the problem into a "spherical cow" problem, and compare the math and logic of each methodology in an idealized frame of reference.


Just my little theoretical physicist-type opinion.


Barbara