[lit-ideas] Re: Censorship
- From: Eric Yost <mr.eric.yost@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2005 00:42:33 -0400
Phil: We don't usually associate beliefs with facts. If one is
dealing with
facts, one is in the realm of knowledge. I am not quite sure what Eric
means by 'interpretation of facts'.
Eric: Someone might interpret the facts of astronomy to justify a
belief in extraterrestrial life.
Phil: The rule that under normal conditions at sea
level water boils at 100 degrees Celsius is, however, not a fact. It
certainly follows from the facts but is not itself a fact. Nothing
would exclude the possibility that tomorrow, under the same conditions,
water in the southern hemisphere is found to boil at a slightly lower
temperature.
Eric: Boiling point is not a rule. It is a measured standardized
quality of elements and compounds.
The temperature at which uniform, standardized water boils is given
in relation to "standard pressure" of 101.325 kilopascals or 1
standard atmosphere (1 atm). The definition of boiling point is also
locked into place--vapor pressure equals ambient pressure. Though
it's a couple hundredths of a degree below 100 Celsius, it is always
the same under the same standardized conditions. From what I
remember of chemistry-for-dummies, the reason why water has such a
high boiling point is that the hydrogen bonds in the water are very
strong. Boiling point is therefore a phenomena of molecular
structure, not a rule but a predictable phenomena.
On the other hand, if you are saying the equivalent of "nothing
excludes the possibility that tomorrow the sun will not rise"
(Hume?) then I can't really argue with that.
------------------------------------------------------------------
To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off,
digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html
Other related posts: