Amateur Theory Share - Physics, Biology, & More

  • Suggestion
  • Thread starter kaeksen
  • Start date
In summary: um...idea. other times people just want to be told what is right and wrong. if someone posts a theory and doesn't want feedback, then they are wasting their time. if someone posts a theory and wants feedback, then they are welcome.
  • #1
kaeksen
5
0
That would have been awesome. Or its own forum. I don't mind sharing my theories on different areas in physics biology etc. I am sure many want to share and arent afraid of loosing millions if it turns out its right :)
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
Please read forum rules, Overly Speculative Posts section.
 
  • #3
If researched your theory well, then maybe you can consider posting it in the independent research forum?
 
  • #4
micromass said:
If and only if you researched your theory well, then maybe you can consider posting it in the independent research forum?

I think the above formulation is stronger.
 
  • #5
I don't think an amateur theory tread would work well. Tires made of paper don't tend to last too long. I suppose if the theories were printed on rubber?
 
  • #6
For every person who comes in saying "I have this idea, can someone give me some guidance about it and constructive criticism?", there will be 100 other people go "This is my theory, if you think I'm wrong, you're stupid and a Nazi".
 
  • #7
i believe there should be a wild speculation forum, a place where the rules are tuned down abit. i see a lot of locked threads that could have been developed in a beginner type forum, and then presented in the proper place after the bugs have been worked out. you wouldn't have to even see crack pottery if you didn't want to. on the otherhand sometimes if you wade in the muck you can help some one without turning them off to science. personally i just like to discuss things whether i learn anything depends on who i am speaking with. but a locked thread teaches me nothing.
 
  • #8
People aren't quite getting the message that it's been tried before and failed miserably...
 
  • #9
Yes, yes. The internet does not have enough sites that embrace discussion of personal theories. They're a downtrodden people. Let's let PF take them under its wing so that the world's supply of laypeople with their hollow Earth's, electric universes and push gravitys aren't lost to history.
 
  • #10
Oh well, crackpotphysicfsforums.com is not taken.
 
  • #11
Borek said:
Oh well, crackpotphysicfsforums.com is not taken.

Think I just found a summer project...
 
  • #12
Darken-Sol said:
i believe there should be a wild speculation forum, a place where the rules are tuned down abit.

We once had such a forum, named "Theory Development." We got rid of it four or five years ago because we decided it wasn't producing anything useful, and replaced it with the current "Independent Research" forum.
 
  • #13
jtbell said:
We once had such a forum, named "Theory Development." We got rid of it four or five years ago because we decided it wasn't producing anything useful, and replaced it with the current "Independent Research" forum.

my bad, i wasn't here five years ago. there is a series on QM basics by a professor from stanford on youtube. it's pretty easy to grasp, but i can't ask questions or see if i got the right idea. it would be helpful to have a place to just have a discussion without starting a bunch of different threads. physics is fun but, if it doesn't make sense, or i can't apply it, it is useless to me.
 
  • #14
Darken-Sol said:
there is a series on QM basics by a professor from stanford on youtube. it's pretty easy to grasp, but i can't ask questions or see if i got the right idea. it would be helpful to have a place to just have a discussion without starting a bunch of different threads. physics is fun but, if it doesn't make sense, or i can't apply it, it is useless to me.

Of course you can ask.

Go to the relevant place and ask about what you're not sure of or ask if you're on the right track.

People will happily answer and provide you additional sources.

It's only when you try pushing your own ideas and speculation that you violate the rules.
 
  • #15
Darken-Sol said:
my bad, i wasn't here five years ago. there is a series on QM basics by a professor from stanford on youtube. it's pretty easy to grasp, but i can't ask questions or see if i got the right idea. it would be helpful to have a place to just have a discussion without starting a bunch of different threads. physics is fun but, if it doesn't make sense, or i can't apply it, it is useless to me.

Everyone is entitled to ask questions and learn (that's the point!). And if you have an idea already that could be presented so that people can help you see why it is right/wrong.

It's a different thing entirely to present your ad-hoc reckon
 
  • #16
ryan_m_b said:
Everyone is entitled to ask questions and learn (that's the point!). And if you have an idea already that could be presented so that people can help you see why it is right/wrong.

It's a different thing entirely to present your ad-hoc reckon

i don't think its always different. some times a person can gain perspective by sharing their thoughts and taking in feedback. there are many ways to learn, the process of elimination is just one.
 
  • #17
Darken-Sol said:
my bad, i wasn't here five years ago. there is a series on QM basics by a professor from stanford on youtube. it's pretty easy to grasp, but i can't ask questions or see if i got the right idea. it would be helpful to have a place to just have a discussion without starting a bunch of different threads. physics is fun but, if it doesn't make sense, or i can't apply it, it is useless to me.

But, none of this is forbidden here! You can ask any question you like, you can have any discussion you want. This is exactly why PF exists!

Just... don't be a crackpot about it. That is, don't push your ideas without thinking and calling the entire world wrong/nazi for disagreeing with you...
 
  • #18
Darken-Sol said:
i don't think its always different. some times a person can gain perspective by sharing their thoughts and taking in feedback. there are many ways to learn, the process of elimination is just one.

In my opinion, the mentors can be quite relaxed if you have the correct attitude. For example, you can say: "I don't think that light has constant speed, because blablabla and blablabla. But physicists say that this is the case, what is wrong with my reasoning?" I guess these threads would be allowed if you are receptive to criticism (which most likely will come).
However, saying "The speed of light is NOT constant, all you physicists are misguided and don't know anything. Learn to think for yourself. By the way, I never took a math course." would evidently not be allowed.

It's up to the mentors of course, to allow certain things or not. But if you have the right attitute (=willing to learn and acknowledging your mistakes, presenting arguments clearly, don't claim to know it all,...), then I guess a lot is allowed here...
 
  • #19
micromass said:
But, none of this is forbidden here! You can ask any question you like, you can have any discussion you want. This is exactly why PF exists!

Just... don't be a crackpot about it. That is, don't push your ideas without thinking and calling the entire world wrong/nazi for disagreeing with you...

i never called anyone a nazi. if moderators could be likened to anything it would be gods. i am not here to whine about them or "push" ideas. if something is wrong with my thinking usually some one else has to point it out, as my thinking lead me to that conclusion in the first place. having a post locked for not meeting guidelines doesn't help me find the flaw. a few people with good criticism could easily help me past a point of stagnation.
 
  • #20
Darken-Sol said:
i never called anyone a nazi. if moderators could be likened to anything it would be gods. i am not here to whine about them or "push" ideas. if something is wrong with my thinking usually some one else has to point it out, as my thinking lead me to that conclusion in the first place. having a post locked for not meeting guidelines doesn't help me find the flaw. a few people with good criticism could easily help me past a point of stagnation.

Threads only get locked if they violate guidelines.

What you have described does not do so.

Which means you aren't doing what you describe.
 
  • #21
Darken-Sol said:
i never called anyone a nazi.

Wait. Is this stemming from a particular thread?

Until a moment ago we were talking hypothetical - as in 'when one does this one shouldn't call anyone a Nazi'.

But it sounds like you're talking about an incident that really happened and that you're now defending where you didn't call anyone a Nazi.

Which is it? A general issue moving forward? Or a rationalization for an issue that happened?
 
  • #23
The solution is quite simple.

Phrase everything as a question.

Q: Is the Earth hollow?
A: There is no evidence to support that claim.
Q: What about this bit of evidence from X?
A: X is not a trusted source.

Nowhere are you making an assertion that goes against accepted scientific understanding. Everywhere you are learning something new.
 
  • #24
JaredJames said:
Threads only get locked if they violate guidelines.

What you have described does not do so.

Which means you aren't doing what you describe.

i'v only had one thread locked, i don't understand exactly why. it illustrates my point though. it was a thread on karma in the philosophy forum. guideline issues, no feed back, no learning.
 
  • #25
Darken-Sol said:
i'v only had one thread locked, i don't understand exactly why. it illustrates my point though. it was a thread on karma in the philosophy forum. guideline issues, no feed back, no learning.

You've stated personal theories rather than asking about established knowledge.

Your first sentence is 'I believe in Karma'.
 
  • #26
Darken-Sol said:
i'v only had one thread locked, i don't understand exactly why. it illustrates my point though. it was a thread on karma in the philosophy forum. guideline issues, no feed back, no learning.

It's clear why it was locked.

You started by asserting the existence of karma and then asking from there. That violates guidelines.

EDIT: Beaten by DaveC.
 
  • #27
JaredJames said:
It's clear why it was locked.

You started by asserting the existence of karma and then asking from there. That violates guidelines.

EDIT: Beaten by DaveC.

ah. so if take that part out it should be kosher.
 
  • #28
Darken-Sol said:
ah. so if take that part out it should be kosher.

Not exactly. The philosophy section is not just for asserting beliefs and discussing them. If you read the guidelines you will see that it is important to provide citations/references from philosophers covering specific topics.

I don't think it's enough to just throw your interpretation of a religious belief in there. That may be better suited to the General Forum
 
  • #29
Darken-Sol said:
ah. so if take that part out it should be kosher.

Well... there might be more to it than that. Just ensure you read and follow the Philosophy Forum Guidelines. I think you'll find your post doesn't meet several other guidelines.

The new, more stringent rules for the Philosophy Forum are designed to focus it on rational, logical and scientific exploration of philosophical issues, and discourage people from using it as a catch-all to discuss any ideas that pop into their head that they can assert under the guise of philosophy.

This is still a science forum, first and foremost.
 
  • #30
it would be a good candidate for the wild speculation forum then? its not a specific incident, i just happen to be a beginner looking for a place to start. i realize this has been tried before but not all people hold onto beliefs after they have found them lacking. the thing is i can discuss things from anothers point of view without compromising what i believe.
 
  • #31
DaveC426913 said:
Well... there might be more to it than that. Just ensure you read and follow the Philosophy Forum Guidelines. I think you'll find your post doesn't meet several other guidelines.

The new, more stringent rules for the Philosophy Forum are designed to focus it on rational, logical and scientific exploration of philosophical issues, and discourage people from using it as a catch-all to discuss any ideas that pop into their head that they can assert under the guise of philosophy.

This is still a science forum, first and foremost.

any advice on how to do that. ever since i started posting youve been very helpful.
 
  • #32
Darken-Sol said:
i'v only had one thread locked, i don't understand exactly why. it illustrates my point though. it was a thread on karma in the philosophy forum. guideline issues, no feed back, no learning.
The feedback is that you didn't follow the guidelines and you were given links to the guidelines.

Also, please note that we don't discuss specific religious beliefs.
 
  • #33
Indeed, sol, no single posts on religion or the like are allowed here on PF. And I can also imagine that there are probably better places to discuss things like karma then on a science forum.

Please read the following
Discussions that assert the a priori truth or falsity of religious dogmas and belief systems, or value judgments stemming from such religious belief systems, will not be tolerated. As a rule of thumb, some topics pertaining to religion might be permissible if they are discussed in such a way so as to remain neutral on the truth of, or value judgments stemming from, religious belief systems. It is also permissible to discuss concepts of God or gods, so long as these discussions proceed in a rigorous philosophical fashion and do not draw from or apply to any given religious belief system in particular. However, it is essential to use good judgment whenever discussing religious matters to ensure that the discussion does not degenerate into a messy dispute. If in doubt, err on the side of caution.

Because of the complexity and ambiguity of this subject matter, there are no hard and fast moderation rules that apply over all possible cases. Ultimately, it is up to the administrators and mentors to decide what is appropriate and what it not on a case-by-case basis. Discuss religious matters at your own risk: Administrators and mentors retain the right to lock or delete any religious thread or post at any time without warning or explanation. All administrator and mentor action taken with regard to religious discussions will be final and will not be up for dispute.

You immediately stated that karma existed and asked how we could exploit it. It might have been safer (but I don't know if the mentors agree with me), to ask about whether karma existed, what the pro's and con's are relating to it's existence,... Perhaps that would be allowed...

I hope this has been helpful.
 
  • #34
Surely the very nature of karma and the like precludes it from discussion here? That is certainly so for discussions relying on its existence.

You could question for evidence, but it would be a very short thread.
 
  • #35
JaredJames said:
Surely the very nature of karma and the like precludes it from discussion here? That is certainly so for discussions relying on its existence.

You could question for evidence, but it would be a very short thread.

It actually depends on what you mean with karma. Historically, all karma meant was "cause and effect", in that everything that happens has a cause. This is a very philosophical idea that could very meet all the guidelines of PF. It is only very, very recent that people started seeing karma as "if I do good, then good things will be done to me", which was not the original meaning of karma.
 

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