Dr. Neil DeGrasse - A fascinatingly disturbing thought

Originally posted by FuturePeace
""He attracts people so he can get publicity, push his agenda, receive more undeserved awards, and sell books. ""


Thats pretty much everyone though not just him.

Real scientists almost never write books for the lay public.

Originally posted by SisyphusRide
reply to post by Spooky1

 

Neil Tyson is an astrophysicist and a cool dude...

genetics are if you want to work in a zoo

edit on 18-4-2012 by SisyphusRide because: (no reason given)

Wth are you talking about?

When was Tyson ever an astrophysicist? Maybe for a month after graduation? He's an entertainer.

And genetics are for the zoo? Do you have any idea what the study of genetics is?

Could someone do me a favor and present any evidence (university web page link or academic article publication or the like) showing that Tyson has ever actually worked in academia or industry as an astrophysicist and not merely as a 'science communicator' and celebrity pseudo-scientist?

I can't find any evidence that he's done anything other than graduate from good schools.

I'm looking through google scholar and can't find a single academic article by Tyson in any astrophysics journal. Just a bunch of references to his lay publications, articles about the only known black 'astrophysicist,' and references to articles about education.

Pretty odd considering lots of people are falling all over themselves to refer to this non-astrophysicist as a brilliant astrophysicist.

reply to post by Spooky1


I don't understand your perception of Astrophysics. You don't graduate, then go to work as an astrophysicist at some shop??? He attended Harvard, then Columbia where he received his doctorate in astrophysics.He then held numerous positions in the field at other institutions. You are treating him like a Bill Nye, Science Guy character, when in fact he is a brilliant man with a lot of respect from others in the field of Astrophysics.

I like the fact that he has charisma and is able to convey his messages in a simple, direct form of communication that is attractive to all ages.

You don't get 16 honorary doctorates for just being a good speaker...

Nothing but the Facts About Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of the most famous astrophysicists in the world. He has worked on a variety of commissions and projects regarding all aspects of astronomy and cosmology. Tyson is most famous as a television personality. He has hosted a variety of programs and made guest appearances on a number of talk and game shows. www.brighthub.com...

reply to post by Spooky1


en.wikipedia.org...

yes genetics are for racist and eugenicist...

Originally posted by Spooky1

Originally posted by FuturePeace
""He attracts people so he can get publicity, push his agenda, receive more undeserved awards, and sell books. ""


Thats pretty much everyone though not just him.

Real scientists almost never write books for the lay public.

Ridiculous comment.

Originally posted by Tiste
reply to post by Spooky1

 

I don't understand your perception of Astrophysics. You don't graduate, then go to work as an astrophysicist at some shop??? He attended Harvard, then Columbia where he received his doctorate in astrophysics.He then held numerous positions in the field at other institutions. You are treating him like a Bill Nye, Science Guy character, when in fact he is a brilliant man with a lot of respect from others in the field of Astrophysics.

I like the fact that he has charisma and is able to convey his messages in a simple, direct form of communication that is attractive to all ages.

You don't get 16 honorary doctorates for just being a good speaker...

edit on 18-4-2012 by Tiste because: (no reason given)

Actually you do, after you graduate you go to work as an astrophysicist. But not at a shop, typically at a university or industrial research laboratory.

I am treating him like Bill Nye, b/c they are both celebrity entertainers.

And yes, you do get honorary doctorates for being a good speaker. And for being black (b/c it's 'inspirational' to black students).

As I have already asked: can you supply ANY EVIDENCE that Tyson has ever worked as an astrophysicist in academia or industry? Can you cite a SINGLE ACADEMIC ARTICLE authored by him?

Originally posted by SisyphusRide
reply to post by Spooky1

 

en.wikipedia.org...

yes genetics are for racist and eugenicist...

Ok thanks for establishing yourself as having no understanding whatsoever of genetics.

www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/curriculum-vitae

Originally posted by Annee

Nothing but the Facts About Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of the most famous astrophysicists in the world. He has worked on a variety of commissions and projects regarding all aspects of astronomy and cosmology. Tyson is most famous as a television personality. He has hosted a variety of programs and made guest appearances on a number of talk and game shows. www.brighthub.com...

And yet not single mention of any time during which he actually worked as a productive astrophysicist. Just a series of appointments.

Nor a single reference to any academic article.

Amazing!

You know you're scraping the bottom of the barrel for "Notable Achievements in the Fields of Astrophysics" when such as these are listed:

Voted “Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive” by People Magazine in 2000.
His wine collection was featured in the May 2000 issue of Wine Spectator

Wow!

about half way through this video, it's great.

Originally posted by Spooky1

Originally posted by Annee

Nothing but the Facts About Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of the most famous astrophysicists in the world. He has worked on a variety of commissions and projects regarding all aspects of astronomy and cosmology. Tyson is most famous as a television personality. He has hosted a variety of programs and made guest appearances on a number of talk and game shows. www.brighthub.com...

And yet not single mention of any time during which he actually worked as a productive astrophysicist. Just a series of appointments.

Nor a single reference to any academic article.

Amazing!

You know you're scraping the bottom of the barrel for "Notable Achievements in the Fields of Astrophysics" when such as these are listed:

Voted “Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive” by People Magazine in 2000.
His wine collection was featured in the May 2000 issue of Wine Spectator

Wow!

edit on 18-4-2012 by Spooky1 because: (no reason given)

If you haven't noticed...times have changed my friend. Why don't you tell us who your favourite modern astrophysicist is and we will compare.

Originally posted by Tiste


www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/curriculum-vitae

YAY!

Thanks for posting this. I was really having trouble finding a single academic article.

Your link showed that he's never had a real academic or industrial position as a working, productive astrophysicist (he was 'visiting lecturer' at Princeton and has otherwise been an administrator at the Hayden Planetarium).

And his CV shows that his scientific productivity is virtually nil. He has published a whopping three papers since the year 2000. And he hasn't been first author on any significant academic article for over 20 years (since 1991).

Originally posted by Tiste

Originally posted by Spooky1

Originally posted by Annee

Nothing but the Facts About Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of the most famous astrophysicists in the world. He has worked on a variety of commissions and projects regarding all aspects of astronomy and cosmology. Tyson is most famous as a television personality. He has hosted a variety of programs and made guest appearances on a number of talk and game shows. www.brighthub.com...

And yet not single mention of any time during which he actually worked as a productive astrophysicist. Just a series of appointments.

Nor a single reference to any academic article.

Amazing!

You know you're scraping the bottom of the barrel for "Notable Achievements in the Fields of Astrophysics" when such as these are listed:

Voted “Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive” by People Magazine in 2000.
His wine collection was featured in the May 2000 issue of Wine Spectator

Wow!

edit on 18-4-2012 by Spooky1 because: (no reason given)

If you haven't noticed...times have changed my friend. Why don't you tell us who your favourite modern astrophysicist is and we will compare.

Can't say I have a single favorite. But I'm fond of

Kip Thorne (Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics at Caltech until 2009)

Leonard Susskind (the Felix Bloch Professor of Theoretical Physics at Stanford University)

John Wheeler

and

Richard Feynman.

Compare all you want. There is simply no comparison.

With regard to astrophysics Tyson has produced virtually nothing in his entire career compared to any single year during which these men have been active.

Originally posted by Blue Shift

Originally posted by ShockTruther
This man is talking about serious, thought provoking theories and the audience reacts by laughing like a bunch of idiots... Drooling morons indeed.

Yeah, I'd say that if intelligent life came across us it wouldn't bother to stop. I imagine intelligence beyond ours would find humans not quaint, but annoying and barbaric. Not worthy of the valuable resources we enjoy.

This whole "humanity is barbaric and not worth an alien's time" crap is so tiring. If you can't see how humanity is awesome in spite of our extreme limitations, then you're just a negativist from the get go, and filled with self-hatred. Aliens would be lucky to find us. We're great.

pffft. Aliens would want nothing to do with this god-forsaken species. Does that mean we are 100% trash species? No, not at all. We have beauty here on Earth, and we have wonderful minds as well. But what are those wonderful minds compared to a civilization that has existed for millions of years? What are we to 1000000 Einstein's packed into a single part of an extraterrestrial brain?

We are beautiful amongst ourselves. Compared to the rest of the galaxy, we are not even ants.

Originally posted by Spooky1

Originally posted by SisyphusRide
reply to post by Spooky1

 

en.wikipedia.org...

yes genetics are for racist and eugenicist...

Ok thanks for establishing yourself as having no understanding whatsoever of genetics.

we all know its what it leads too... just ask Goebbels, Mengele, Darwin, Dawkins, ect ect.

I happen to be fond of the Bad Astronomer.

He supports him - - - Good enough for me.

Neil Tyson’s congressional testimony

My old friend and colleague Neil Tyson has long been an advocate for exploration, for basic investment in science, and for pushing the boundaries of what we know and can do. In early March, he got a chance to make his stand official: he testified before the Senate. blogs.discovermagazine.com...

Originally posted by SisyphusRide

Originally posted by Spooky1

Originally posted by SisyphusRide
reply to post by Spooky1

 

en.wikipedia.org...

yes genetics are for racist and eugenicist...

Ok thanks for establishing yourself as having no understanding whatsoever of genetics.

we all know its what it leads too... just ask Goebbels, Mengele, Darwin, Dawkins, ect ect.

edit on 18-4-2012 by SisyphusRide because: (no reason given)

Huh?

Goeebels & Mengele & Darwin knew NOTHING of DNA. Rosalind Franklin's x-ray crystallography of DNA was in the early 50s. Watson & Crick published shortly thereafter.

All you are showing me is that you don't have the slightest understanding of the study of genetics.

What it leads to is the information that shows us what we are and where we came from and how we work. No other field of study will ever reveal this information so succinctly.

And, of course, it provides the information needed to provide medicine and other therapies to treat maladies that afflicts countless individuals.

You should really study up on genetics instead of maintaining this position of willful ignorance.

reply to post by Spooky1

no need to argue... we'd be throwing the topic off.

we all know Tyson is more of a man than Dawkins

Neil Tyson he's an astrophysicist though so there is really no comparison