Thog's Science Masterclass #2

[realthog]

 

". . . an inconceivable fraction that can be written out as 1/10 preceded by 32 zeros . . ."

    -- Deepak Chopra, Quantum Healing, 1989

Comments

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Huh? If it's inconceivable how come he conceived of it? And why would he write it out in that absurd way?

[realthog.livejournal.com]

"why would he write it out in that absurd way?"

To be fair, he may have been the victim of an idiot copyeditor who said, "It's not our house style to use decimals -- we use common fractions . . ." But, if so, Chopra still bears the responsibility for not overruling this lunacy.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

I'd like to see that vulgar fraction written out.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

"I'd like to see that vulgar fraction written out."

Ha!

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

I'm the vulgar sort, I suppose.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

"I'm the vulgar sort, I suppose."

If you say so, surd.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

I've been known to be fractious.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

"I've been known to be fractious."

What? Causing division wherever you go, you mean?

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

That's the long and the short of it.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

A prime example of irrationality, if you ask me. Still, I suppose you must reckon the practice reaps dividends.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Though not at the co-op.

[quietselkie.livejournal.com]

I see he's doing quantum math, as well.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

"I see he's doing quantum math, as well."

With the emphasis on the "um".

[quietselkie.livejournal.com]

Bwahaha! Math for strange quarks.

I sold 3 of his books to one person last week. She said, "This is who I'm supposed to read next." She receives her reading list from the ether.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

I've just read three of them for the purposes of Bogus Science, and deserve a medal.

The particular annoyance is that, when he sticks to non-loopy medicine, he's actually pretty solid, and has a talent for explaining things simply. Then, just as you've settled back enjoying yourself, in comes the next mighty great splodge of woowoo.

[quietselkie.livejournal.com]

*nod*

I tried to steer her more in the direction of his texts about healing rather than spirituality. And I did make her put back his novel. (Next, though...tempted to push "The Celestine Prophecy" and a book about the Findhorn gardens. Your own garden gnome to commune with your green beans! What could be better?)

In re: the comment above about house style, I have an industry question. Why would house style overrule scientific notation (I lack a more precise term)?

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Outside the academic/scientific houses, the majority of copyeditors -- and of editors in general, including the people who draw up the house styles -- are (and I use the term descriptively rather than pejoratively) scientifically illiterate. Many are sensible enough, when working with pop science texts, to bow to expert advice on how the scientific aspects should be handled. But many aren't.

[quietselkie.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

All part of the service, ma'am.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

The BEM, perhaps?

[sarcobatus.livejournal.com]

Real math is irritating enough without someone throwing this kind of nonsense on the table.

See . . . you can't believe everything you read, even from someone with a doctorate. Harrumph.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

"you can't believe everything you read, even from someone with a doctorate"

Well, in the case of the particular doctorate-holder under consideration, there's quite a lot of his stuff that you read that you can't believe.