27th June 2005, 5:06 PM
I've read a transcript of a court case involving this, and from it I gather the general attitude is a notion that rejects scientific empiricism (by empirical I don't mean the scientists order people around, I mean evidence based). The notion seems to be an extreme example of that notion that any obstacle can be overcome with sheer will, and failure to overcome an obstacle shows a lack of will. The idea of a situation that really can't be overcome (for example, falling within the horizon of a black hole, just as an extreme example) seems to be an impossibility to these mindsets. Also, the idea that such a situation is just an artificial challenge that doesn't accuratly reflect reality at all, except that some people can be cruel beyond belief, seems beyond them. What manner of evidence ever can be presented to show that such a viewpoint is correct?
http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/history/20...wmaker.htm
Here's a link with the transript of a video used in court. It's pretty bad, so I won't quote it here.
http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/history/20...wmaker.htm
Here's a link with the transript of a video used in court. It's pretty bad, so I won't quote it here.
"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)