1st March 2004, 10:43 PM
Yeah, and of course our computers wouldn't exist if not for the realizations of the truth of his general relativity. Quantum physics are doing even more for us, since they, unlike general, also describe the world of the small.
Okay Weltall, I'll just add that I agree a lot about communism. No matter what some people here might say, such a system could never ever work unless human nature itself changed, and it won't just because we think we're "enlightened". I'll still say that that fellow shouldn't be punished for his views. At the time I'm sure he never imagined how wrong the system could go, and he never went about enforcing his views, just writing them down as free speech grants. The whole concept with the results that have been shown time and again resulting in evil mean communism itself is evil, but the original idea man likely wasn't, so don't hold him up in contempt. No, I'm not sympathizing, his ideas were dead wrong in the end. It's just that he never went about actualizing his ideas. Had he, I'd have a problem with him of course.
Okay Weltall, I'll just add that I agree a lot about communism. No matter what some people here might say, such a system could never ever work unless human nature itself changed, and it won't just because we think we're "enlightened". I'll still say that that fellow shouldn't be punished for his views. At the time I'm sure he never imagined how wrong the system could go, and he never went about enforcing his views, just writing them down as free speech grants. The whole concept with the results that have been shown time and again resulting in evil mean communism itself is evil, but the original idea man likely wasn't, so don't hold him up in contempt. No, I'm not sympathizing, his ideas were dead wrong in the end. It's just that he never went about actualizing his ideas. Had he, I'd have a problem with him of course.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)