Quote from: bubbagret on 03/16/2014 02:54 amWhat's left is magic. And it doesn't work.— James RandiPure science wouldn't say this. Far too many things that we take for granted today were yesterday's magic. Things like flight, electricity, wireless communications, televisions, alpha and beta brain waves, radiation sickness, etc, etc, etc. Magic, as opposed to slight-of-hand, is simply an event, capability or occurrence that can't be explained by the known laws of science, that appear to operate outside those laws, or in opposition to those laws. There is far more about how the universe works that we do not understand than we do understand. So-called magic eventually turns out to be such new understanding. To say magic doesn't work is to assume that we already know all there is to know. Usually magic turns into real science as our understanding increases. Just because we don't understand how something works, or can't explain it within the framework of known science does not invalidate it when it clearly works. To discount it is not science - it is ignorance. The first and most important tenet of real science is to acknowledge how much we do not understand, not to flaunt how little we do.
What's left is magic. And it doesn't work.— James Randi
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Enjoyed the second episode. Good explanation of biological processes for persons pushed through the American school system. It may be slightly less erudite than the original Cosmos, but I think part of the show's damage control must be reintroducing a great many people in this country to concepts they abandoned in lieu of nonsense their preachers have been spoon feeding them to keep money in the coffers.
Quote from: Negative Return on 02/19/2014 02:19 amThere were some good moments, but Tyson lacks the earnestness of Sagan. And a large chunk of the episode was a cartoon about the small minds of the Middle Ages. Seemed dark and out of place.Much the same could be said about the original series too. Sagan's understanding of the history of science was a caricature. from what little I have seen and read of Tyson he is no different. So I would expect more of the same unfortunately.
There were some good moments, but Tyson lacks the earnestness of Sagan. And a large chunk of the episode was a cartoon about the small minds of the Middle Ages. Seemed dark and out of place.
Ironic that you find it as a plus and I find it as a minus. Taking a factual explanation of science and the universe and injecting opinions on religion (in both episodes so far) means many people will walk away from an episode knowing they were presented both fact and opinion. From then on they will view the show knowing there is both fact and opinion presented and will try to parse the two, and many will inevitably get things wrong. Is the segment about how dogs were domesticated fact or opinion? Is the segment about the reproduction DNA fact or opinion? Is the segment about intelligent design being wrong but evolution being "spiritual" fact or opinion? It's interesting because it's something I've noticed its something people on this forum normally police rather vigorously, the presentation of opinion as fact. People will walk away from the show asking themselves this when instead they could have walked away without these being questions at all.
Good episode last night. I didnt know that Newton almost didnt get published. I hope I see Halley's comet again in July 2061 to see Halley's Comet again, but it's unlikely I'll make 86.Maybe we will have made it to Mars by then?
The show has been renewed for a second season which will air in the spring of 2019.https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/13/16888864/neil-degrasse-tyson-cosmos-second-season-fox-national-geographic-science