econpupil

[econpupil]

A bug is not an error in logic, it is a test you forgot to write.

#code #unit tests #agile

[econpupil]

Stamp collecting

SpaceTiger remarks:

Theories without observations may as well be philosophy and observations without theories may as well be stamp collecting.

#physics #theory #empirics #forumspeak

[econpupil]

Harry Lipkin on useless theory

I have no patience with social scientists, historians, and philosophers who insist that the “scientific method” is doing experiments to check somebody’s theory. The best physics I have known was done by experimenters who ignored theorists completely and used their own intuitions to explore new domains where no one had looked before. No theorists had told them where and how to look.

#empirics #theory #physics

[econpupil]

Andre Geim on research seminars & debate

The theory school was extremely strong, especially what people referred to as 'Landau theory school'. Those guys did things at the highest possible level. The roots of this strength were [...] also in the way Soviet theorists worked. I witnessed it by attending many research seminars. A lot of time was spent in discussions and heated debates, where there were no questions that could not be asked and no authority that could not be questioned. [...] It could be a dreadful experience for the participants, but sometimes I really miss this style.

He continues:

The nostalgia usually appears after coming across certain papers in today's scientific literature: If they were to be first presented at such seminars, even the authors would not dare to put them in print. Those debates were very influential and allowed people to learn more quickly and to develop a broad and informed view of many areas of physics. I myself benefited greatly from such seminars and consider them the second most important part of my education in Chernogolovka.

#physics #empirics #theory