Wisdom and Accurate Definition
Preface: We cannot teach people anything; we can only help them discover it within themselves. (Galileo)
Intuitive knowledge keeps pace with accurate definition. (Louis Elzevir)
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. (Einstein)
If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. (Einstein)
Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler. (Einstein)
The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. (Einstein)
Imagination is more important than knowledge. (Einstein)
The only source of knowledge is experience. (Einstein)
Essay
The earth is a very heterogeneous and dynamic body. It is a near sphere. It has a surface composed of liquid water, solid water, and other solid matter. It has an atmosphere composed of various gases. Its solid surface has greatly varying elevations. The earth spins (rotates) about central axis as it revolves about the sun along an elliptical, planar path. The axis about which the earth rotates is inclined at an angle of 23.5 degrees to the plane on which the earth revolves.
In the past many have tried to simplify this very heterogeneous and dynamic body by a process known as averaging. They average the variable temperatures of a day. They average the variable average temperatures of a day to find an average temperature of a month. They average the average temperature of a month to find an average temperature of a year. They average the average temperature of 20 years to find the average temperature of a climate.
When they average the variable temperature of a day the earth is no longer rotating about its axis. When they average the variable average temperatures of a day to calculate the average temperature of a year, the earth is no longer revolving about the sun with its axis inclined to the plane in which it revolves.
Instead of averaging we must learn to image. We must learn from what Galileo tried to teach us even though he knew he could not teach us anything. He knew he was only trying to help us to discover his knowledge in ourselves. We must learn to accurately define the Earth.
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Barry
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Well said, as a lay person I really appreciate being talked to in my own language. Why anyone would try to describe our atmosphere in static terms when it is clearly not can only have the motive of self promotion.
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Barry,
Thank you for your words of encouragement.
The following is what Galileo wrote in Italian (so the common folk could read it as translated for us English reading people by Henry Crew and Alfonso de Salvio, 1914) on page 2.
“You refer, perhaps, to that last remark of his when we asked the reason why they employed stocks, scafffolding and bracing of larger dimensions for launching a big vessel than they do for a small one; and he answered that they did this in order to avoid the danger of the ship parting under its own heavy weight [vasta mole], a danger to which small boats are not subject.”
Practical people do things. Some intelligent people only talk and write. Then it seems there is a rare person (Galileo, Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, Newton, and so on.) who have the talent and make the effort to do both. We call these people ‘real’ scientists. Much earlier there was Archimedes, who could do both, but it seems he did not enjoy doing practical things..
Have a good day, Jerry
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Jerry Krause
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Hi PSI Readers,
When I submitted this essay for John O’Sullivan to consider for a possible posting, I questioned: What image is he is going to use to introduce it?
You and I can see the answer to my question. I see that this image is a composite photograph. Why do I claim the image is a composite photograph? I know I cannot see stars during the daytime. So I know (am very certain) that a photograph of the midday earth taken from a satellite has been superimposed upon a photograph of the sky above the satellite maybe taken near midnight (local time).
Now I question: Before this question did you notice the white ring which circles the Earth? And I believe that if you didn’t notice this white ring, you could not have asked the question: What is the cause of this white ring?
I have read that Socrates was considered to be the first notable teacher. And I have just reviewed that Galileo stated: “We cannot teach people anything; we can only help them discover it within themselves.” So I ask: How did Socrates, the notable teacher, teach his students? Some of you might know what I have read: Socrates only asked his students endless questions which his students answered and maybe debated when there were differing answers.
So, I give you, a reader of PSI articles and comments, a chance to be a student of Socrates by answering the question: What is the cause of this white ring?
And if you, as a student, choose to not participate as a student of Socrates, the notable teacher, I ask: Why do you come to this internet site?
For I read that Socrates was quite serious about his teaching as he is said to have drunk the cup of hemlock instead of stopping teaching and corrupting the youth of that ancient time; as required by the authorities of that ancient time..
Have a good day, Jerry
Have a good day, Jerry
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Zoe Phin
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It’s OK to average, Jerry. The interpretations of its significance do need to be considered wisely, thought. There I agree.
Speaking of averages, who can solve the mystery of the two hemispheres? (Read to the end)
https://phzoe.wordpress.com/2020/01/30/north-and-south-hemisphere/
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Michael Clarke
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Zoe, I have tried to explain and answer your question regarding the Hemispheres. I am not use I got the reasoning sufficiently understandable. So here is a more concise answer.
When we use an Averaged value in an equation the answer cannot be relied upon unless the error bar range is also applied to that equation. If those error bars are not used in this way then we are in danger of throwing the baby out with the bath water.
If one then compounds this problem of error bars by using other values in the equation that are also averages then some serious anomalies in the result can and will occur. In Statics, error bars follow similar rules as compound interest, they cannot be ignored.
I hope this is a better and more understandable answer to your question.
Remember the quote ‘Lies, Damn Lies and Static’s’
Michael Logician
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tom0mason
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Science or Dogma?
As Jacob Bronowski said in his exceptional program ‘The Ascent of Man’
Climate science is turning into climate dogma.
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Tom O,
Wow! Thank you so much for informing me of what I had never read. This is what this format known as PSI is about. The exchange of ideas and HISTORY about which many of us have no idea.
From the beginning, when I first read your comments I knew this was someone to whose comments I should pay careful attention. So, I now challenge you to give us a possible answer to: “What is the cause of this white ring?” And if you do not believe that the white ring is ‘real’, give us your reasoning.
Have a good day, Jerry
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tom0mason
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I’m sorry Jerry, I do not know of a ‘white ring’ about which you write.
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Tom O,
I asked the question because I consider the while ring discloses an important general fact about the Earth’s atmosphere.
Sutcliffe, a meteorologist whom I often have quoted, cited the evidence that the Earth’s troposphere always contains tiny condensed particles of matter which have been termed condensation nuclei.
The white ring about the Earth in the photo is evidence that the Earth’s troposphere generally contains a few condensed particles of matter whose size is greater than the wavelength of visible red light. For the sunlight from the sun back of the camera is passing tangentially through the troposphere at the ‘edge’ of the earth’s sphere so the pathlength of the solar radiation through the atmosphere is many miles long.
Hence even though the density of these large particles of condensed particles of the atmosphere might be low, there are many of these larger particles in the long path length to scatter visible white light back toward the camera.
Hence, I conclude that the sizes of the condensed nuclei are variable because their composition can be variable.
Then I take another step and reason, according to Feynman’s theory of large particle radiation scattering (relative to small particle scattering by gas molecules), that these few large condensation nuclei scatter the longwave IR radiation being emitted by Earth’s surface because of its temperature back toward the surface in addition to the longwave IR radiation these particles themselves are emitting in all directions according to the ambient temperature of the atmosphere of which they are a part.
And a combination of these factors produce the variable downwelling IR radiation measured at the Earth’s surface.
I write this so you and others can peer-review what I have written. For I certainly consider that your review is just as important as that of any academic ‘expert’.
Have a good day, Jerry
Have a good day, Jerry
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tom0mason
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Are you referring to the white edge around that picture of Earth shown above?
If you are then I can give no answer to the question you pose as I am unclear where that picture comes from. Is it a color manipulated artistic impression of the Earth or a raw and unmodified photo. If it is the latter what equipment was used and was it calibrated for to ensure hue, color, and contrast were correct?
All the NASA pictures I’ve looked at have a bluish edge to the planet.
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Tom O,
As I studied the ‘picture’ more carefully I began to see the ‘bluish’ white might be seen by others, as you have, as being a pale blue color. Which could be explained as the sum of the scattering of blue by the many tiny molecules of the atmosphere plus the white scattered by a much fewer cloud sized particles (whatever they be).
I suggest you study the white of Greenland which is primarily due to snow cover and see if you can distinguish a significant difference between this white relative to the ‘color’ of the ‘ring’ which I claim to see clearly above the Greenland horizon.
I have to ask: Do you accept the cause of the ring which can be seen in many imagines (photos literally taken (I believe) by a conventional telephoto camera) is the long pathlength of solar radiation, being scattered back toward the sun, through the atmosphere at the edge of the sphere?
We can see, given ‘clear’ sky conditions, two mountains that are more than 50 miles away. When the sky is ‘clear’ above there is often a ‘haze’ that can be as white as scattered clouds or bluish if there are known to be diffuse smoke particles in the atmosphere.
A meteorological factor measured by the weather service at many airports is ‘visibility. And maximum visibility is usually 10 miles here in the USA. And I am certain that most everyone agrees that when the visibility is less than 10 miles, this is due to condensed particles (liquid or solid) in the gas molecules of the atmosphere.
I almost made one of my common mistakes by ignoring what I can read. So I checked one of my meteorology reference textbooks (Meteorology Today 9th Ed. by C. Donald Ahrens) found that the title of its 5th chapter is Condensation, Dew, Fog, and Clouds. So I find that such authors of introductory meteorology textbooks do address this issue of visibility. Which I consider is a critically important issue.
Have a good day, Jerry
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Michael Clarke
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Hi Jerry, TomO and other PSI readers,
By looking at the actual data( The bytes) in that ‘Picture’ it is quite clear that there are different aspects(Values) to the Blueness of the ring when compared to other blue/white areas in that Picture.
This leads me to believe that the Whiteness effect is indeed caused by the scattered and ‘reflected’ light from the atmosphere.
Michael Logician
Jerry Krause
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Hi Michael,
Thank you! I almost wrote to ask you to analyze the picture but it is much better this way.
Have a good day, Jerry
Matt Holl
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If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.
Isaac Newton
The above wisdom conveyed to me through this website by Jerry Krause; PhD (Chemistry)
Congratulations Jerry. Kind regards. Matt
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Matt,
Yes, Newton understood that HISTORY is critically important and that we must pay attention to the knowledge of the past.
Not sure what you are congratulating me for doing? But I challenge you, as I did Tom O, give us your answer to ‘the question’. Honor Socrates.
Have a good day, Jerry
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Michael Clarke
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Zoe, and others,
I made a comment on your web site about the difference in North/South hemispheres temperature.
The short answer is that to average altitude when the north pole is essentially zero the south polar region is very definitely not at zero altitude.
Averages used in this way will never provide a ‘good’ answer as the error bars are bigger than the observed averaged result.
Michael Logician
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