Pathological Science

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Pathological Science
And pathological engineering
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Wasp
Hover-fly
Success invites imitation
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Papua, New Guinea, 1948
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Karl Poppers Logic of Scientific Discovery 1934
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Logical positivism, a philosophy developed in
1930s Vienna, held that for a statement to be
meaningful, we must be able to specify the
evidence that would show it to be true.
Popper noticed that this would make
all scientific laws meaningless, since no
amount of evidence can prove a universal
statement.
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Poppers theory a hypothesis is scientific only
if we can state the conditions under which we
would accept that its false.
Example Freudian Analysis
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The Psychology of Scientific Discovery
if my theorys right, Ill be famous
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Professor Rene Blondlot Awarded the Lalande
gold medal and a 20,000-franc prize by the French
Academy for his discovery of N-rays
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Blondlot found that N-rays would fog
a photographic film, and enhance the luminescence
of a dimly-lit screen
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however, when an American scientist, R.W. Wood.
visited Blondlots lab, he found that Blondlot
could still see the enhanced luminescence even
when the prism refracting the N-rays was in
Woods pocket
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Irving Langmuir came up with some warning signs
of pathological science
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• The maximum effect that is observed is produced
  by a
• causative agent of barely detectable intensity,
  and the
• magnitude of the effect is substantially
  independent of the
• intensity of the cause.
• 2. The effect is of a magnitude that remains
  close to the limit
• of detectability, or many measurements are
  necessary
• because of the very low statistical significance
  of the results.
• 3. There are claims of great accuracy.
• 4. Fantastic theories contrary to experience are
  suggested.
• 5. Criticisms are met by ad hoc excuses.
• 6. The ratio of supporters to critics rises and
  then falls
• gradually to oblivion.

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Polywater
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Polywater
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Characteristics of polywater

• First discovered in the early Sixties
• Detected by many researchers
• Could potentially destroy the world
• Finally debunked in 1973

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Pons and Fleischmann Cold Fusion
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Take palladium electrodes, put into heavy
water, electrolyse and take an energy budget.
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Many other researchers also measure excess heat,
but there is one problem Why arent Pons
and Fleischmann dead?
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Pons and Fleischmann claimed to have shown a
gamma-ray peak at 2.22 MeV, corresponding to the
reaction
n p ---gt d ?
However, Petrasso at MIT showed (based on TV
footage) that this peak was actually at 2.5MeV
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Control Experiments

• What control experiment should Pons and
  Fleischmann have done?
• How about Blondlot?

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J.B Rhine, Duke University, 1930s Langmuir
describes his suppression of the low scores of
cheaters.
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Continental Drift
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1930 Wegeners theories are rejected. Wegener
freezes to death in Greenland. 1960s with the
discovery of ocean floor spreading at the
mid-Atlantic rift, the theory of continental
drift is accepted.
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Is there pathological engineering as well
as pathological science? Two examples Steorn
and BlackLight.
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In 2003 Steorn undertook a project to develop
more efficient micro generators. Early into this
project the company developed certain generator
configurations that appeared to be over 100
efficient. Further investigation and
development has led to the companys current
technology, a technology that produces free
energy. The technology is patent pending.
From Steorns website. In August 2006 they
published an ad in the Economist, challenging 12
sceptical scientists to evaluate their device.
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On 4 July 2007, a simplified example of Steorns
technology was to be put on public display at the
Kinetica Museum, Spitalfields Market, London.It
was said that the displayed unit would be
constructed of clear plastic to show the
arrangement of magnets and demonstrate that the
device operated without external power sources.
The public demonstration was delayed and then
cancelled due to "technical difficulties".
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Blacklight Power claims it can collapse hydrogen
atoms to hydrinos.
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BlackLight has established a 53,000-square-foot
advanced chemical facility in Cranbury, NJ.
Currently, the Company has 23 full-time
employees, 2 part-time employees, and 15
consultants. The majority of the employees are
scientists, including 9 PhDs. The Company
intends to employ 75 scientists and technicians,
as well as 25 management and support staff
within the next one - two years.
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From Xogens website

• The technology is not conventional electrolysis
  as governed by the laws of electrolysis
  established by Michael Faraday in 1834, because
  the technology produces approximately 3 times
  more gas output for approximately 1/3rd the
  current required by conventional electrolysis.
• The gas output is achieved without special
  water only City of Calgary tap water was used.

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Xogen Home Furnace
Hydrogen
Alberta Hydro
Xogen Cell
Furnace
Heat
Water
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Xogen Home Furnace
Alberta Hydro
Xogen Cell
Furnace
Electrical energy
Chemical energy
Heat energy
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Xogen Home Furnace
Alberta Hydro
Xogen Cell
Furnace
Electrical energy
Chemical energy
Heat energy
1J 100 1J 100 1J
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Alternative Home Heating (1)
Alberta Hydro
Heat
1 J
1J
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Alternative Home Heating (2)
Alberta Hydro
Alberta Air
Heat Pump
Heat
1 J 2J 3J
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Xogen Automobile
Hydrogen
Battery
Xogen Cell
Water
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Xogen Automobile
Xogen Cell
Battery
Electrical energy
Chemical energy
Mechanical energy
1J 1J
0.4J
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Electric Automobile
Battery
Electric Motor
Electrical energy
Mechanical energy
1J
0.8J
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Lessons from Alberta

• Politicians may endorse policies that
• are obvious nonsense.

2. Science cant say Yes to engineers
3. Science can say No to engineers
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Conclusion
Beware of the con artist -- and the
true believer. Working for a perpetual-motion
company may be hazardous to your resume.