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"The Martian" Does it mislead the public about science?

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Taylor

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Re: "The Martian" Does it mislead the public about science?

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Going to the moon is one thing.
Going to Mars is an entirely different thing.


You don't say :)

It will be the same physics that fly's people to Mars that flew them to the Moon. That's what's settled, That's what I meant.

Film goers making gods out of scientist is a preposterous proposal, which is why the author doesn't point the finger at a real person as an example of a worshiped idol, rather a fictional story and science in general. There is an exaggeration of expectations going on, but not on the part of si-fi fans, they just like a good story.

Regarding the rhetoric of science and technology that comes from movies and books like The Martian, is it really setting people astray with unrealistic ideas of the abilities of scientific research? as opposed to what, the banality of truth?. I was under the impression that rhetoric, by its nature, was designed to excite.

Scientist are popular, So is The Pope. :)
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Re: "The Martian" Does it mislead the public about science?

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They should issue a trigger warning so that people don't come away with unrealistic expectations of reality after seeing a science fiction movie! I mean, really?
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Taylor

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Re: "The Martian" Does it mislead the public about science?

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Re: "The Martian" Does it mislead the public about science?

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geo wrote:They should issue a trigger warning so that people don't come away with unrealistic expectations of reality after seeing a science fiction movie! I mean, really?
We wouldnt want people to believe false myths about science and scientists. Right, Geo?
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Re: "The Martian" Does it mislead the public about science?

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Taylor wrote:
Going to the moon is one thing.
Going to Mars is an entirely different thing.


You don't say :)

It will be the same physics that fly's people to Mars that flew them to the Moon. That's what's settled, That's what I meant.

Film goers making gods out of scientist is a preposterous proposal, which is why the author doesn't point the finger at a real person as an example of a worshiped idol, rather a fictional story and science in general. There is an exaggeration of expectations going on, but not on the part of si-fi fans, they just like a good story.

Regarding the rhetoric of science and technology that comes from movies and books like The Martian, is it really setting people astray with unrealistic ideas of the abilities of scientific research? as opposed to what, the banality of truth?. I was under the impression that rhetoric, by its nature, was designed to excite.

Scientist are popular, So is The Pope. :)
Scientific research?
What in blazzes name are you talking about now?

Let me go back a read the article.

It sounds as if we are reading two different things, Taylor.

:razz2:
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Re: "The Martian" Does it mislead the public about science?

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I'd like to see us build a permanent lunar base for similar reasons to why we went there the first time.

Europe's Next Space Chief Wants a Moon Colony on the Lunar Far Side
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Re: "The Martian" Does it mislead the public about science?

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That would be the epitome of whats called wasteful spending.
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Re: "The Martian" Does it mislead the public about science?

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Scientific research?
Okay. Drop the word research and put in solutions, Only makes the authors case worse. What I offered was a kindness. :)

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Re: "The Martian" Does it mislead the public about science?

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Ant, I'm sure you felt our first trip to the moon was wasteful too. I'm sure you feel that much of scientific exploration is a big waste of time.

Can you not picture the possibility that one day we might need to branch off into other areas of our galaxy in order to keep our species from extinction? With all our eggs in one basic (Earth) a major global catastrophe can end our species for good, but not if we exist elsewhere in the cosmos. A lunar base is a stepping stone in the extremely long and complicated process of learning how to leave this planet and reach others.
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Re: "The Martian" Does it mislead the public about science?

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Chris OConnor wrote:Ant, I'm sure you felt our first trip to the moon was wasteful too. I'm sure you feel that much of scientific exploration is a big waste of time.

Can you not picture the possibility that one day we might need to branch off into other areas of our galaxy in order to keep our species from extinction? With all our eggs in one basic (Earth) a major global catastrophe can end our species for good, but not if we exist elsewhere is the cosmos. A lunar base is a stepping stone in the extremely long and complicated process of learning how to leave this planet and reach others.

Well youre wrong again, C.

The first lunar mission was a nice accomplished. However it was mostly done for bragging rights, which Im certain you are aware of.
After that, there was no practical reason to spend the money and time going back. Our resources were (and still are) needed elsewhere.

The costs of going back are enormous. Building a lunar base is even more expensive.
Why do that when we have pending matters here on earth that have enormous costs attached to them?
Why not dierect our resources where they are immediately needed (hunger and poverty) and wherr they are likely to be needed very soon (ie relocating The Pacific Island nations that will be ejected from their homes because of climate change, fresh water production, etc etc.)

There's no damn food on the moon. Why fly it up there when thousans of people here on Earth are dying every hour because they dont have it.
Prophecizing a global catastrophy to justify the spending to build some lunar base is 95 percent fantasy 5 percent waste. And that 5 percent is too wasteful and impractical at that.

Also, we dont know what the effects on the sensory and central nervous system would be in an utterly alien environment. Its not as easy as envisioning everyone living happily ever after dressed in space suits, living in radiation sealed igloos. How would that impact our species.
We are a very fragile species that is specifically designed (oops! Dirty word there!) for earth and its environment.

We cant get carried away in fantasy here just because science advertises we can do most anything.
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