My 2017 FQXi Essay Contest Entry
Mindless mathematical laws can not give rise to aims and intention? By Harry H. Ricker III, MS EE Is modern science superior to Greek Philosophy?1 Only if the scientific method is actually the way to truth in the deep philosophical sense. Here I intend to explain why mindless mathematical laws are not capable of saying […]
Continue Reading...FQXi Essay Contest 2017, Review
Review Of FQXi Essays Wandering Towards a Goal By Harry H. Ricker III Introduction The purpose of this essay is to discuss my impressions and comments resulting from reading the submissions to the 2017 FQXi Essay Contest. The title of this contest is Wandering Towards a Goal: How Can Mindless mathematical laws give rise to […]
Continue Reading...Ivor Catt and The Myth Of The Rolling Wave
The myth of the rolling wave is a term used by this writer to describe a problem in electromagnetic theory first raised by the English scientist Ivor Catt, in articles published in the English magazine Wireless World. The problem is referred to as a myth, since it has its source not in physics textbooks, but […]
Continue Reading...Ivor Catt And Displacement Current
Introduction In an article published in Wireless World, December 1978, Ivor Catt published a criticism of the Maxwell displacement current that provoked considerable controversy. This article had a significant impact on my thinking as I had always had reservations regarding the displacement current concept in electromagnetic theory. In fact, the idea of displacement current that […]
Continue Reading...The Wakefield Experiments Background and Motivation
Introduction This essay discusses the background for the Wakefield Experiments. This refers to two sets of experiments performed by Tony Wakefield an Australian amateur radio operator, or ham, who performed these experiments for Ivor Catt. The objective of these experiments was to verify the predictions made by Ivor Catt based upon his Theory C. This […]
Continue Reading...The Catt Anomaly Confusion
Introduction In two different papers written as responses to the Catt Question, two Italian physicists have interpreted the Catt Question as an anomaly or paradox. The response of Ivor Catt to this assertion is simply that the Catt Question is “just a question”. This may seem an unimportant point, but in their paper the […]
Continue Reading...On An Apparent Resolution of the Catt Question
Here I publish a link to a paper submitted by Stephen Crothers to IOP Physics Education Journal On an Apparent Resolution of the Catt Question. The editor replied with the following: “We regret to inform you that the Board Member has recommended that your article should not be published in the journal, for the reasons […]
Continue Reading...The Catt Question Background
Introduction Many people have difficulty in understanding the Catt Question. This is understandable given the inconsistency and confusion that is produced by the current definition of electricity. (Here is the original formulation of the question.) It will probably come as a surprise to the reader that there is no clear and precise definition of electricity. […]
Continue Reading...Catt Question Letter
The following letter was prepared by Harry Ricker as a courtesy to Ivor Catt who wished to send a letter to the editor of the IOP Journal Physics Education in order to refute the claims made in a paper published in that journal. The letter was cosigned by five other scientists. This letter was rejected […]
Continue Reading...Foreground Milky Way Dust Filaments In Galaxy Photographs
Introduction This report documents a study of Milky Way dust filaments that appear in photographs of external galaxies. The technique used in this investigation is the use of software photograph processing tools called effects filters. The software used here is the On One Photo Perfect Effects 9. This allows the adjustment of digital photos to […]
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