3 ms·

We all make judgements about what is worth pursuing. I'm not a fan of string theory because the sub-field over-promised and under-delivered for decades. I'm con

We all make judgements about what is worth pursuing. I'm not a fan of string theory because the sub-field over-promised and under-delivered for decades. I'm content to let others who know more get excited if the field is going to be saved by EW or anyone else. Spending time is a zero-sum, and the cost/benefit does isn't worth it to me. But this is neither evidence of prosecution or an ad hominem. It's true that his other statements about politics and the world in general, particularly his propencity to accept and promulgate conspiracy theories without evidence, make me doubt his honesty and his moral fabric, but that's a relatively minor part of why I won't spend time on this.

loceng 3y ago
"But frankly it seems to me that he'd rather get the juice from claimed persecution than actually advance the field." This is absolutely ad hominem. You're insinuating he's a fraud - without even knowing the math he's referencing - and then saying he's trying to milk a victimhood stance; eloquent ad hominem, ad hominem nonetheless. And the rest of what you said is fine - but throwing unsubstantiated shade/ad hominem as you walk away from the challenge is something else. I'm curious though also, what "conspiracy theories" are you claiming he propagates - and without referencing evidence? That term is often thrown away as as ad hominem to be dismissive and demonizing as well.