Are John Wheeler's Unconventional Theories Scientifically Valid?

[SeventhSigma]

He seems very influential but at the same time a lot of his ideas seem inherently unfalsifiable and a bit on the crackpot side (it from bit, PAP, delayed choice, etc). Is this accurate on the whole?

 

[Naty1]

no...no

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Archibald_Wheeler

 

[SteveL27]

no...no

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Archibald_Wheeler

Linus Pauling won two Nobel prizes. He also took 3 grams of vitamin C a day and said it would prevent or cure cancer.

Thought question: Does winning two Nobel prizes prove that you are not a crackpot?

 

[sophiecentaur]

I have met a large number of people who are quite brilliant in their field but who can hardly tie their own shoelaces, let alone make a sensible decision about which car to buy or when to change their socks. There is not a 'very strong' correlation between brilliance and common sense.

 

[pmacias]

I cannot speak to John Wheeler's personal character or intentions, but as a scientist, it is important to evaluate ideas based on their scientific merit rather than labeling someone as a "crackpot." While some of Wheeler's ideas may seem unconventional or difficult to test, it is not fair to dismiss them outright without further examination and experimentation. In fact, many groundbreaking scientific theories were initially met with skepticism and deemed "crackpot" before being accepted by the scientific community.

It is also important to note that the scientific process involves constantly questioning and challenging established theories and ideas, so it is not uncommon for scientists to propose unconventional or controversial ideas. However, these ideas should still be subject to rigorous testing and evidence-based evaluation.

Ultimately, it is up to the scientific community to critically evaluate and validate or refute Wheeler's ideas based on empirical evidence. It is not productive or fair to dismiss someone as a "crackpot" without giving their ideas a fair chance to be tested and evaluated.