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Great news. Finding stuff that doesn't fit into the current model and we need smart people to get to work understanding may be the surest sign that the JWST is

Great news. Finding stuff that doesn't fit into the current model and we need smart people to get to work understanding may be the surest sign that the JWST is invaluable.

Waterluvian 4y ago
This reminds me of how when you’re right, you don’t learn much. When you get it wrong, you learn a ton.
- gitfan86 4y ago
  We have known that the current model of physics is wrong for a long time. But the main focus has been on math. "If only we could figure out this formula, then we would understand everything" It seems much more likely that we are not missing a formula but a basic understanding of reality. Much like the early astronomers trying to find a formula for the movement of the sun and planets that put Earth at the center of the universe
  - andrei_says_ 4y ago
    I really like this comparison. But isn’t the case with modern physics that we are getting something like 8 of 10 things right? So that’s a lot of correct triangulation - and throwing the current understanding out would throw all of that away - and potentially rearrange things.
    - gitfan86 4y ago
      The Ptolemaic System was also mostly correct at predicting the movement of celestial bodies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocentric_model#Ptolemaic_system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocentric_model#Ptolemaic_sys...
- pleb_nz 4y ago
  You learn more from mistakes and being wrong no doubt about it. I remember some billionaire saying 15% of the decisions you make each day should be mistakes otherwise your not trying and you're not learning.
xp84 4y ago
Same - I really like seeing things like this. Not only because it means we're about to learn some big stuff, but also because it would be completely *preposterous* if humans at our puny stage of development had already correctly figured out every last detail about insanely complex things like the exact size, age, and origin and age of galaxy-sized things that developed tens of billions of years ago, billions of light-years away from the tiny rock we stand on. Getting things wrong shows that people are actually doing science honestly!
- Teever 4y ago
  What stage of development do you feel is necessary to acheive what you're describing? How can a human at this puny stage know this?

Great news. Finding stuff that doesn't fit into the current model and we need smart people to get to work understanding may be the surest sign that the JWST is invaluable.

Waterluvian 4y ago

This reminds me of how when you’re right, you don’t learn much. When you get it wrong, you learn a ton.

gitfan86 4y ago
We have known that the current model of physics is wrong for a long time. But the main focus has been on math. "If only we could figure out this formula, then we would understand everything" It seems much more likely that we are not missing a formula but a basic understanding of reality. Much like the early astronomers trying to find a formula for the movement of the sun and planets that put Earth at the center of the universe
- andrei_says_ 4y ago
  I really like this comparison. But isn’t the case with modern physics that we are getting something like 8 of 10 things right? So that’s a lot of correct triangulation - and throwing the current understanding out would throw all of that away - and potentially rearrange things.
  - gitfan86 4y ago
    The Ptolemaic System was also mostly correct at predicting the movement of celestial bodies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocentric_model#Ptolemaic_system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocentric_model#Ptolemaic_sys...
pleb_nz 4y ago
You learn more from mistakes and being wrong no doubt about it. I remember some billionaire saying 15% of the decisions you make each day should be mistakes otherwise your not trying and you're not learning.

xp84 4y ago

Same - I really like seeing things like this. Not only because it means we're about to learn some big stuff, but also because it would be completely *preposterous* if humans at our puny stage of development had already correctly figured out every last detail about insanely complex things like the exact size, age, and origin and age of galaxy-sized things that developed tens of billions of years ago, billions of light-years away from the tiny rock we stand on. Getting things wrong shows that people are actually doing science honestly!

Teever 4y ago
What stage of development do you feel is necessary to acheive what you're describing? How can a human at this puny stage know this?