Re: [Paddlewise] Pro's and Con's of the "Swede Form"

-----Original Message-----
From: Nick Schade <schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com>
To: PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net <PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net>
Date: June 6, 1999 3:33 PM
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Pro's and Con's of the "Swede Form"


(SNIP)
>
>
>Now we're getting into philosophy of science. If something is not
>measurable, does it still exist?


Yes, it can exist but what do you "know" about it? If I say a thing is
large, how large is large? If I say this thing has a length of x' and
breadth of y' and an height of z' you know a lot more about it than if I
say it is "large". Not so much a matter of philosophy as a matter of
knowledge.

> I can not measure the mass of an electron,
>yet I am willing to accept that it has a mass. I don't see why the noise
>produced by a tree falling in the forest is dependant on the sensitivity
of
>my ear.

You may not be able to measure the mass of an electron but would you not
agree that if you could measure its mass you would know more about it?

As for the tree, you may not consider the noise it made when it fell
important but if you could measure it you would know more about the noise.
To person considering the amount of noise important, having measured the
noise would increase his knowledge. he could relate the noise to the size
of the tree, the type of undergrowth, the type of soil, etc. Were he
writing a paper on the noise created by falling trees he would appear
rather silly saying "Trees make a lot of noise when they fall."

If measurements have no importance why do we put the dimensions of our
boats in our advertising?


Cheers,
John Winters
Redwing Designs
Specialists in Human Powered Watercraft
http://home.ican.net/~735769/





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