Forest manager gives a math talk - profs suspect nothing

A man with a degree in Forestry, who confused a sine with a cosine, read a math lecture at Purdue university. And answered questions. Professors did not suspect anything wrong and thought that the talk was "terrific."

How do such things happen?

Forest manager gives a math talk - profs suspect nothing

a reply to: vernichter

How do such things happen?

Did such a thing happen ?

a reply to: vernichter
This is from 1987, from an anti-science site to prove science is wrong, and only the bible is right.

Ok.

Now explain how he used a sine or cosine function incorrectly?

Ok, waiting.

I was going to say the same, it seems like you have an agenda here vernichter since when ever you post on S&T its always some here say, he said she said about how the whole of all of academia are wrong because, hey look, one person did this, one time.

It is a poor and un-compelling attempt... just as the last ones were and boils down to what sounds like little more than school playground style tall tails.

Also... ever heard of blagging? Its quite easy to give a talk on a subject that you don't know, iv seen it done many times... its just when the questions are asked, you get pulled apart. But hey this is a story told by a single person dating back so far no one could possibly check, and yeah, iv heard so many bogus tails of 'normal folk' out smarting an expert, issue is, its usually told by a disgruntled normal person who is too afraid of admitting their plan totally failed when the first question was asked

So... thanks for playing... next please.

originally posted by: gortex
Did such a thing happen ?

Here is a foto of Prof. Samuels with Berezovsky posted on Purdue website

www.stat.purdue.edu...

Samuels is no longer with us, but you may ask Prof. Rubin if it did happen

www.stat.purdue.edu...

originally posted by: vernichter

originally posted by: gortex
Did such a thing happen ?

Here is a foto of Prof. Samuels with Berezovsky posted on Purdue website

www.stat.purdue.edu...

Samuels is no longer with us, but you may ask Prof. Rubin if it did happen

www.stat.purdue.edu...

Oh, well that is certainly all the proof needed. Clearly the site you linked in OP is legit. I like how he links to his own other stories as proof.

originally posted by: DogStarIn1066
a reply to: vernichter
This is from 1987,

Yes, but not widely known. Petr Aven's book which tells the story came out just few months ago.

originally posted by: DogStarIn1066
from an anti-science site to prove science is wrong, and only the bible is right.

Can you substantiate this claim?

originally posted by: DogStarIn1066
Ok.

Now explain how he used a sine or cosine function incorrectly?

Ok, waiting.

This is a quote from Alexander Gnedin. You should ask him

www.qmul.ac.uk...

originally posted by: Ksihkehe

originally posted by: vernichter

originally posted by: gortex
Did such a thing happen ?

Here is a foto of Prof. Samuels with Berezovsky posted on Purdue website

www.stat.purdue.edu...

Samuels is no longer with us, but you may ask Prof. Rubin if it did happen

www.stat.purdue.edu...

Oh, well that is certainly all the proof needed. Clearly the site you linked in OP is legit. I like how he links to his own other stories as proof.

If you do not trust that site you can
1) Check Petr Aven's book
2) Check with Herman Rubin
3) Check with Alexander Gnedin

and find any contradiction between their statements and the story published on the website.

a reply to: vernichter

Not buying it even a little... Reminds me way too much of the black sun redux guy's writing style.

It's also super spurious, intentionally vague, and the type of hearsay not even a gossip rag would consider anything close to substantive.

I vote we give up science and go back to the stone age. Who's with me!

originally posted by: ErosA433
I was going to say the same, it seems like you have an agenda here vernichter since when ever you post on S&T its always some here say, he said she said about how the whole of all of academia are wrong because, hey look, one person did this, one time.

All stories I post are well-documented. Books, research articles. At one time even a video.

originally posted by: ErosA433It is a poor and un-compelling attempt... just as the last ones were and boils down to what sounds like little more than school playground style tall tails.

Every shingle story had actually happened.

originally posted by: ErosA433Also... ever heard of blagging?

Even had to deal with in this thread.

originally posted by: ErosA433 Its quite easy to give a talk on a subject that you don't know, iv seen it done many times... its just when the questions are asked, you get pulled apart.

That's the point that Berezovsky did answer questions. And Dr. Fox did.

originally posted by: ErosA433 But hey this is a story told by a single person dating back so far no one could possibly check,

I gave here the webpages of Gnedin and Rubin. Did you even try to check?

originally posted by: villagesmithie
I vote we give up science and go back to the stone age. Who's with me!

We are going exactly there because science got so perverted.



ecclesiastes911.net...

a reply to: vernichter

I've no doubt there are still a good many scientists 'out there' who perform their tasks responsibly, but, yeah, things like the use of science as a club during the covid years has made clear there are also many 'experts' of various stripes who are, a) not expert in what they claim to be; and b) have zero sense of professional ethics. All made worse by politicians who dodged difficult decisions by simply claiming they were 'following the science'.

Cheers

a reply to: F2d5thCavv2

How many of those vanishing species remain?

“A renowned author would have to have a most extraordinary character … to be able to write prolifically in the full knowledge that his works are worthless and that he is a charlatan whose fame is entirely undeserved and based solely on the stupidity and gullibility of his admires. Even if he had some doubts about the correctness of his approach at some stage of his career, success and adulation would soon persuade him of his own genius and the epoch-making value of his concoctions. When in consequence of acquiring a controlling position in the distribution of funds, appointments and promotions, he becomes surrounded by sycophants courting his favours, he is most unlikely to see through their motivation; and, like wealthy and powerful people in other walks of life, will tend to take flattery at its face value, accepting it as a sincere appreciation (and therefore confirmation)”