From: Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Date: 10/05/03-01:36:17 PM Z
On Sun, 28 Sep 2003, Katharine Thayer wrote:
> ... I was offended by
> the word "Ugh" being used when David Scopick's name was mentioned on the
> list.
Like I say, the list is wonderful -- our own little Shangri la, where no
matter the state of the world and the country, the word "ugh" can be
deemed a "disgrace".... (Whether or not I said it in that context which
frankly I do not recall...
However, I myself rather like "ugh": it expresses disdain without a single
hint of blasphemy (as we find in "geesh," for instance) or even
obscenity... and with
only 3 letters....
> ... For the record, I do not consider differences of opinion on
> issues of substance to be personal attacks, never have and never will,
> but I do and will object strenuously, vehemently if you will, to
> insulting remarks made about my colleagues.
Not sure how we define "colleague," since the author in question may be
equally MY "colleague," but there's a related point important enough to
repeat: the more I learn, the more I realize the "literature," even the
most ESTEEMED literature, contains error. We all need MORE analysis, more
close reading, more accountability, more skepticism, and ESPECIALLY in our
field, more citation of sources....We also need LESS copying of formulas
and techniques without attribution or understanding, let alone testing
(and I recall at least one egregious such in the "ugh" book, which I have
cited before and thus pass in silence now).
And this cannot be said too often.
However, speaking of error, let me recommend a book titled "The Measure of
All Things," about the 7 year struggle to measure a meridian in France to
determine the "meter" as 1 hundred millionth of some dimension or other of
the physical world. The final chapter is about scientific error, & cites
the efforts of the subsequent 200 years to refine that measure. The author
notes that there is no "perfect science," while paying homage to the
effort that came incredibly close with instruments that we would consider
too crude & difficult for measuring anything, let alone across Europe
during the Reign of Terror.
He also explains why the US is one of only 3 countries not on metric (the
other 2 being Myanamar & Liberia !) & opines on when & how it may get
there...
Judy
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