Challenge Thread: Were you wrong about Pluto?

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

-- Can't you put me on IGNORE or READ ONLY or something?

It's a very simple question: How does Pluto being classified differently affect you in such a way that you feel the need to it's reclassification as a sticking point against science?

 

[Yttrium]

Kirk: We ... we've been whiplashed back in time!
Spock: Affirmative, captain. The year is ... 1968.
Kirk: Look. Their records are showing Pluto as their ninth planet.
Spock: Apparently that is the extent of their technology so far.
KirK: But they're wrong.
Spock: Affirmative. But they don't know it yet.
Kirk: Someone should tell them.
Spock: Negative, captain. Remember our Prime Directive.
Kirk: Oh, yeah. Thanks.

AV, it was a planet back then. It fit the naming convention of a planet.

I'm happy to admit that I was wrong. I should've considered Ceres to be a planet back then. It fit the naming convention too. I wasn't wrong about Pluto.

Back then, it was considered a planet in our solar system if it didn't orbit a planet and it was rounded by it's own gravity. Pluto fit. So did Ceres.

Scientists decided to change the naming convention. They added another clause: it has to clear its neighboring region of planetesimals. That throws out Pluto, Ceres, Eris, etc. Pluto gets to be called a dwarf planet now.

Your question doesn't accomplish what you're trying to do.

 

[AV1611VET]

Your question doesn't accomplish what you're trying to do.

Wow -- just wow.

I can't stress enough that this thread is not about Pluto, per se.

But then, as I said before, I almost didn't call it a challenge thread. :whew:

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Wow -- just wow.

I can't stress enough that this thread is not about Pluto, per se.

But then, as I said before, I almost didn't call it a challenge thread. :whew:

Then why didn't you actually just title it "have you ever been wrong about science before?" or something like that? Your history of being fixated with Pluto is well known.

 

[Yttrium]

Wow -- just wow.

I can't stress enough that this thread is not about Pluto, per se.

But then, as I said before, I almost didn't call it a challenge thread. :whew:

Isn't this what the thread is about?

One day you think you're right -- the next you find out you've been wrong.

Then one day someone posts a poll and asks if they were willing to admit it, and guess what?

They aren't willing to admit it.

Your Pluto example doesn't work in context.

But a Ceres example would work...

 

[AV1611VET]

Then why didn't you actually just title it "have you ever been wrong about science before?"

Es sobre tiempo!

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Es sobre tiempo!

Well... why didn't you? Why did you use a topic that you know people know you have a fixation on?

 

[AV1611VET]

Well... why didn't you?

QV please: Challenge Thread: Have you ever been wrong about science before?

 

[Bungle_Bear]

Make your own challenge thread; instead of leaving it up to me all the time and having to listen to people harping about them.

I suspect that if you answer my question you'll have found the answer to yours. It's really not that hard.

 

[Ophiolite]

The changing definition of planet is more akin to the change in both meaning and use of "thou" and "you".

Dangerous ground. If I understand correctly AV thinks the King James version of the bible is the original language, or something comparable. Changing from "thou" to "you" may be even more problematic for him than "planet" to "dwarf planet".

One day you think you're right -- the next you find out you've been wrong.

Yes. You seem to have problems accepting change. I guess that's partly why you reject evolution.

Come up with a better example,

A better example of what? Pointless questions?

I can't stress enough that this thread is not about Pluto, per se.

Then what is it about?

 

[durangodawood]

This thread has more implications for astrology than for "science".

 

[Hans Blaster]

-- Can't you put me on IGNORE or READ ONLY or something?

I tried that, but the threads I was in got very weird. There were replies without the quoted material as well as the missing posts by you. I "de-blocked" you but mostly just ignore you.

 

[AV1611VET]

I tried that, but the threads I was in got very weird. There were replies without the quoted material as well as the missing posts by you. I "de-blocked" you but mostly just ignore you.

I know where you're coming from.

I used to put people on IGNORE, but then ended up unblocking them as well.

I tend to go to READ ONLY a lot now, unless I'm in the mood to get mouthy about something.

 

[Shemjaza]

Dangerous ground. If I understand correctly AV thinks the King James version of the bible is the original language, or something comparable. Changing from "thou" to "you" may be even more problematic for him than "planet" to "dwarf planet".

Yeah, I thought of that. But using Early Modern English is understandable, just weird sounding to us... yet AV chooses to use modern English instead, when he could use "correct" forms and pronouns from 1611 England/pre-Babal.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

In another thread, someone made this comment:
If this is your sentiment as well, were you wrong about Pluto being our ninth planet?

Meaningless question; it's comparing apples & oranges - evolution is a theory, an explanation. Pluto being called the 9th planet is a convenient categorisation, changed when it became inconvenient.

You'd be comparing like with like if you compared a taxonomic re-categorisation from, say, subspecies to species, or vice-versa. But in neither case is it about being 'right' or 'wrong', it's just about utility and conceptual clarification.

 

[AV1611VET]

But in neither case is it about being 'right' or 'wrong', it's just about utility and conceptual clarification.

Post 20 please.

 

[Shemjaza]

Post 20 please.

...but you made up the exchange in post 20, and it's wrong.

 

[AV1611VET]

...but you made up the exchange in post 20, and it's wrong.

Show me.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

Post 20 please.

Here you go:

"Kirk: We ... we've been whiplashed back in time!
Spock: Affirmative, captain. The year is ... 1968.
Kirk: Look. Their records are showing Pluto as their ninth planet.
Spock: Apparently that is the extent of their technology so far.
KirK: But they're wrong.
Spock: Affirmative. But they don't know it yet.
Kirk: Someone should tell them.
Spock: Negative, captain. Remember our Prime Directive.
Kirk: Oh, yeah. Thanks."

 

[Shemjaza]

Show me.

Ah, post 24?

Changing the definition of planet isn't an example of correcting a previous mistake, (like thinking some bats are primates), it's a change in classification for clarity and utility.