[FRIAM] the role of metaphor in scientific thought

[Steven A Smith]

Marcus-


> I was thinking of the ER=EPR example.
>
My intuition is that after we elaborate enough examples like this, as 
well as Feynman's observation that since all (heretofore observed) 
electrons appear identical, perhaps they are a *single* electron which 
is everywhere/everywhen, we might come up with a "dual theory" in the 
same sense that when you replace the edges of a graph with vertices and 
vice-versa, you get a *dual* which is sometimes more tractable to 
operate on (or think about) than the other.
>
> Seems like basic questions of interpretation just get kicked down the 
> road indefinitely because there is math that is serviceable.   One 
> could say its serviceability is what leads to improved interpretations 
> (in the fullness of time), or maybe it just delays asking the hard 
> questions?
>
> “There was a time when the newspapers said that only twelve men 
> understood the theory of relativity.  I do not believe that there ever 
> was such a time.  On the other hand, I think it is safe to say that no 
> one understand quantum mechanics.   Do not keep saying to yourself, if 
> you can possibly avoid it, `But how can it be like that?’ because you 
> will get `down the drain’ into a blind alley from which nobody has yet 
> escaped.  Nobody knows how it can be like that.”  [Richard Feynman, 
> The Character of Physical Law]
>
Good stuff...   in Monday's Salon, we invoked the von Neumann quote: "In 
mathematics you don't understand things. You just get used to them." and 
also discussed Lakoff/Nunez' "Where Mathematics Comes From" but did not 
resolve the implied contradiction (my observation in this moment, not 
discussed there/then).
>
>
- Steve
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