How about a History Section?

[Scientific Method]

How about a History section?

 

[z-component]

I think that is classified as a social science, which we have. I may be mistaken though. It's grouped differently in some situations.

 

[quantumdude]

I'd consider it a humanity. Anyway, to start a new Forum we'd have to have an overwhelming demand for it. Of course it's Greg's call, but I don't see enough history threads posted to warrant a new section in addition to General Discussion and Politics and World Affairs.

 

[loseyourname]

It's considered a social science by university departments in the US. That said, our particular social science forum consists almost entirely of psychometric discussions of race. If you start a thread about a historical topic, someone will find a way to relate it to the lower average IQ of some racial group with inferior genes. If nothing else, we should open up a separate psychometrics forum just to keep it out of the other social science topics.

 

[Clausius2]

I don't see it.

SCIENCE= THE FUTURE

HISTORY=THE PAST

Let's think of the future. At least science people seem the unique that today thinks that way. Being afraid by the past leads to the frustration (here, in Spain, we know a lot about it. Our incompetent politicians spend all the time reminding things from the past, in particular from the Civil War. They do not think of the future, and so we roughly get by.)

Sorry, maybe it has nothing to do with the main purpose of this thread, but lately I am angry with this stupid government and his politics of fame.

 

[iansmith]

SCIENCE= THE FUTURE

HISTORY=THE PAST

Yeah but you need to understand the past and the mistake made during that time to make sure that mistake are not repeated in the future.

Science is all about the past. You find out what people did and did not do then you try to improve on it.


I will have to agree with loseyourname. History belongs to social sciences. However, the forum has been mostly orientated towards psychometric discussions of race.

 

[hitssquad]

Engineering vs science

Science is all about the past. You find out what people did and did not do then you try to improve on it.

That might be more fitting as a description of engineering:

--
: the science by which the properties of matter and the sources of energy in nature are made useful to man in structures, machines, and products
--
(Merriam Webster Unabridged 3.0)

 

[Integral]

Hey! A history forum, great idea, but I want a Military history sub forum, and a Napoleonic sub forum to that. While we are at it how about a cooking forum, and maybe a sewing forum...

Hummm... Why don't we stick to Physics.. Historychannel.com has a wonderful history forum.. Wouldn't it make more sense to go somewhere like that where many people who are very knowledgeable in that field hang out? Let's stick to what we do best.

 

[ZapperZ]

Hey! A history forum, great idea, but I want a Military history sub forum, and a Napoleonic sub forum to that. While we are at it how about a cooking forum, and maybe a sewing forum...

Hummm... Why don't we stick to Physics.. Historychannel.com has a wonderful history forum.. Wouldn't it make more sense to go somewhere like that where many people who are very knowledgeable in that field hang out? Let's stick to what we do best.

I agree. We can't be everything to everyone. This site is called the "Physics Forums". I find it inconceivable that people would pick a site with that name to discuss history, or anything else for that matter. I am of the opinion that we already have too many sub-forums unrelated to physics as it is.

Zz.

 

[Evo]

I agree. We can't be everything to everyone. This site is called the "Physics Forums". I find it inconceivable that people would pick a site with that name to discuss history, or anything else for that matter. I am of the opinion that we already have too many sub-forums unrelated to physics as it is.

Zz.

Gee thanks ZapperZ. (Evo - suddenly feels unnecessary)

 

[ZapperZ]

Gee thanks ZapperZ. (Evo - suddenly feels unnecessary)

Oh dear, what have I done?

Well, since we ALREADY have those forums, Evo, then you are certainly necessary now! :)

Zz.

 

[marlon]

Oh dear, what have I done?

Well, since we ALREADY have those forums, Evo, then you are certainly necessary now! :)

Zz.

Spoken like a true diplomate

marlon

ps : no supermentor can be ever be unnecessary

 

[marlon]

ps thanks Zz for the links on DFT...I am going to do my phd on this...well, i need this for my phd to be exact

marlon

 

[quantumdude]

IMO, we already have the perfect balance of breadth and depth. PF is not refereed, and we offer free membership to the public at large. That means we're going to have a lot of novices around who are interested in physics, but don't know how to frame a physical question scientifically. Given that state of affairs, we are bound to get questions such as:

"How sure are we of scientific theories?"
"What's a tensor?"
"Of what use is quantum theory to the real world?"
"What do you think of cutting the funding for the SSC?"
"Do any of you live near me?"
"How do you solve this problem?"
"I like science, and I like building things. Should I major in physics or engineering?"
"What's the chemical formula for table salt?"
"What constellations are visible this time of year?"
"What about this guy John Titor's claims?"
"How do you make a Forum like this?"
.
.
.
etc.

None of these belong in the Physics section, but we don't want to delete them or discourage this type of thing. So, we have other sections open so that the Physics section is not cluttered. The questions above fit neatly into (respectively) philosophy, math, engineering, politics, general discussion, homework help, academic and career guidance, other sciences, astronomy, scepticism, and technology.

Having said all that, I can't think of any questions that are connected to physics or this website that would warrant a History forum. Sure historical issues related to physics come up (say, the Bohr model), but we are happy to host those types of things in the regular Physics section.

 

[Clausius2]

.
.
The questions above fit neatly into (respectively) philosophy, math, engineering, politics, general discussion, homework help, academic and career guidance, other sciences, astronomy, scepticism, and technology.
.

I have to defend the Engineering forums, and do not allow anyone to doubt if the questions posted there doesn't fit with the name of this web. Physics wouldn't be alive without engineering, and anyone who goes for a walk into engineering sections would realize that the questions there are sometimes more physically advanced that those posted in Physics sections.

BTW: I have seen here two new PF supermentors crown. Congratulations!

 

[The_Professional]

Hey! A history forum, great idea, but I want a Military history sub forum, and a Napoleonic sub forum to that. While we are at it how about a cooking forum, and maybe a sewing forum...

Greg has a cooking forum, tech forum, a law forum up on that link. And an art forum. I say, Greg where's the history forum?

 

[Bartholomew]

I want a bicycle repair forum.

 

[loseyourname]

You know guys, it aint that hard to build a forum.

 

[Scientific Method]

The more academic topics this forum covers, the more knowledge we gain. Plus, membership will also increase. I disagree with those that say we already have too many sections; I would like to see even more sections, but only so long as they are related to academia.

 

[Kerrie]

Here's a link for your history forum...

http://p208.ezboard.com/btalkinghistory

I'd consider a history forum in general to be non-related to Greg's goal of homework help for science. Do remember, this forum was Greg's vision.

 

[ZapperZ]

The more academic topics this forum covers, the more knowledge we gain. Plus, membership will also increase. I disagree with those that say we already have too many sections; I would like to see even more sections, but only so long as they are related to academia.

I disagree. A vegetarian certainly would not instintively pick a steak house as a logical choice for dinner. So why would someone pick a forum with the name "Physics Forums" to discuss business schools, for example? It's not as if there's a lack of suitable forums to discuss such a thing, so PF is not denying anybody anything by not having those here.

And what would be accomplished by having even more sections on here? So far, all the arguments that I've read is that we should have it because we can. No one has given any beneficial or even a rational reason why such a thing could and have produced anything significant. If quantity alone can actually produce anything of any benefit, the Usenet would have produced a ton of stuff of worthy by now - it hasn't!

We should just stick to a few things, and do those as well as we can.

Zz.

 

[Scientific Method]

I want the whole world to unite under Physics Forums; this forum will be their new God.

 

[quantumdude]

Do you think they'll change the Pledge of Allegiance?