- Email: [email protected]
Belief or not
SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR LETTERS ON: ● Free will and evolution ● Manipulating placebos ● Gamuts of colours
but to build a model that approximates to what happens. We will also include a simplified model of the machine itself, so that it can predict which actions would be good or bad for itself and act appropriately. Our machine can then accumulate experience of past events and learn to make the best decisions using its internal models. The states at any one time of the internal models of the world and of itself are available and so may be communicated to other intelligent machines in order to learn more efficiently. Should our machine use English to communicate it may well use the word “conscious” to describe the ability to model itself, and “free will” to describe the fact that actions taken are in agreement with what the internal model predicts it should do in its own best interests. That is, I think I have free will because I do what I think I should do. Cambridge, UK
Gas garbler From Philip Harper George Monbiot does his argument no favour by trying to slate the Toyota Prius using a quadruply invalid comparison with the most frugal of the range of Peugeot 205s (23/30 December 2006, p 25). The 205 was a “supermini” and the Prius is a saloon. He compares just highway fuel consumptions, ignoring the fact that the Prius, unlike other cars, maintains its low consumption in urban driving. The 205 was a diesel and the Prius runs on petrol, which produces about 13 per cent less CO2 per unit volume of fuel. Worst of all, Monbiot compares the Prius’s consumption in miles per US gallon with the 205’s in miles per imperial gallon. Solihull, West Midlands, UK The editor writes: ● The piece did confuse US and imperial gallons. Sorry. The Prius’s highway consumption of www.newscientist.com
51 miles per US gallon is 61 miles per imperial gallon; and www. fueleconomy.gov lists it as achieving 60 mpUSg (72 mpg) in city driving.
I wonder how many believers will be willing to face daily despondency as yet another cherished “God did it” claim perishes before the unstoppable juggernaut of the search for truth. Los Angeles, California, US
Diminishing deities From Peter Brooks I believe “good science will come” from the Biologic Institute’s efforts to find experimental proof of intelligent design, but not in the way that it intends or believes (13 January, p 18). Starting with a premise or hypothesis, one devises experiments that attempt to negate the hypothesis or premise, demonstrating that it does not hold true for all cases, maybe not even for any. Starting with a bad premise simply means that it will take longer to come to the realisation that it is a false start; the premise must therefore be refined or revised and the process begun again. Thus they are inevitably destined to lose their theistic beliefs. Imagine replacing all instances of “I don’t know the answer yet” with “God did it”, and continuing to labour to uncover the facts. Over time, we will inevitably chip away at the mountain of “God did it” assertions – we have been quietly doing so for centuries – but now we will be able to publicly state that what was once thought to be an act of God is now in fact (fill in your own discovery here). Thus we will gather tangible and mounting evidence of the continued erosion of God’s claimed ability. At present, we make no formal note of the fact.
Battery of possibilities From Erik Spek The vanadium flow battery has its attractions for electrical energy storage, but it is certainly not the only system that is practical (13 January, p 39). A quite large nickel-cadmium installation with a capacity of about 7 megawatthours is still, as far as I am aware, working in Alaska. There are other technologies, too. Japan has over 100 large sodium-sulphur systems, with capacities up to 70 megawatthours, supporting its electricity grid. There are now three such installations in the north-east US. There is also a pilot ZEBRA (sodium-nickel-chloride) installation of 100 kilowatt-hours in Ontario, Canada. All these systems have their pluses and minuses, but all will be needed to help the ageing and weary electric grid systems on every continent. Midhurst, Ontario, Canada
Wrong kind of kiss From Anna Friedlander I have just read the very enjoyable “Mind the mistletoe” (23 December 2006, p 42). I was surprised, however, to read in a sidebar that “The ‘Malay kiss’, which consists of nose rubbing and sniffing is the ‘French kiss’ among… Maoris”. The hongi is a common Maori greeting, but consists of a nose-press, and sometimes an exchange of breath, rather than nose rubbing and sniffing. It is a formal greeting, not an erotic “kiss” as comparison to a “French kiss” might suggest. And the plural of “Maori” is “Maori”. Wellington, New Zealand
Belief or not From David McMahon Roy Sablosky writes to claim that atheism is not itself a belief (13 January, p 19). But, to quote the Oxford English Dictionary, an atheist is “one who denies or disbelieves the existence of a God”. The correct term for someone who does not believe in the existence of a god, but does not assert the non-existence of a god, is “agnostic”. Mosman, New South Wales, Australia From Dave Minter Roy Sablosky’s letter reminds me of a signature line that I saw on a contribution to an online bulletin board. It read: “If atheism is a faith, then not playing chess is a hobby.” London, UK
For the record ● We quoted Steen Stender as saying that Denmark has seen a 20 per cent fall in deaths from heart disease since the 2003 ban on trans-fats (6 January, p 13). He clarifies that there was a 20 per cent fall between 2000 and 2005.
Letters should be sent to: Letters to the Editor, New Scientist, 84 Theobald’s Road, London WC1X 8NS Fax: +44 (0) 20 7611 1280 Email: [email protected] Include your address and telephone number, and a reference (issue, page number, title) to articles. We reserve the right to edit letters. Reed Business Information reserves the right to use any submissions sent to the letters column of New Scientist magazine, in any other format.
3 Februray 2007 | NewScientist | 21
but to build a model that approximates to what happens. We will also include a simplified model of the machine itself, so that it can predict which actions would be good or bad for itself and act appropriately. Our machine can then accumulate experience of past events and learn to make the best decisions using its internal models. The states at any one time of the internal models of the world and of itself are available and so may be communicated to other intelligent machines in order to learn more efficiently. Should our machine use English to communicate it may well use the word “conscious” to describe the ability to model itself, and “free will” to describe the fact that actions taken are in agreement with what the internal model predicts it should do in its own best interests. That is, I think I have free will because I do what I think I should do. Cambridge, UK
Gas garbler From Philip Harper George Monbiot does his argument no favour by trying to slate the Toyota Prius using a quadruply invalid comparison with the most frugal of the range of Peugeot 205s (23/30 December 2006, p 25). The 205 was a “supermini” and the Prius is a saloon. He compares just highway fuel consumptions, ignoring the fact that the Prius, unlike other cars, maintains its low consumption in urban driving. The 205 was a diesel and the Prius runs on petrol, which produces about 13 per cent less CO2 per unit volume of fuel. Worst of all, Monbiot compares the Prius’s consumption in miles per US gallon with the 205’s in miles per imperial gallon. Solihull, West Midlands, UK The editor writes: ● The piece did confuse US and imperial gallons. Sorry. The Prius’s highway consumption of www.newscientist.com
51 miles per US gallon is 61 miles per imperial gallon; and www. fueleconomy.gov lists it as achieving 60 mpUSg (72 mpg) in city driving.
I wonder how many believers will be willing to face daily despondency as yet another cherished “God did it” claim perishes before the unstoppable juggernaut of the search for truth. Los Angeles, California, US
Diminishing deities From Peter Brooks I believe “good science will come” from the Biologic Institute’s efforts to find experimental proof of intelligent design, but not in the way that it intends or believes (13 January, p 18). Starting with a premise or hypothesis, one devises experiments that attempt to negate the hypothesis or premise, demonstrating that it does not hold true for all cases, maybe not even for any. Starting with a bad premise simply means that it will take longer to come to the realisation that it is a false start; the premise must therefore be refined or revised and the process begun again. Thus they are inevitably destined to lose their theistic beliefs. Imagine replacing all instances of “I don’t know the answer yet” with “God did it”, and continuing to labour to uncover the facts. Over time, we will inevitably chip away at the mountain of “God did it” assertions – we have been quietly doing so for centuries – but now we will be able to publicly state that what was once thought to be an act of God is now in fact (fill in your own discovery here). Thus we will gather tangible and mounting evidence of the continued erosion of God’s claimed ability. At present, we make no formal note of the fact.
Battery of possibilities From Erik Spek The vanadium flow battery has its attractions for electrical energy storage, but it is certainly not the only system that is practical (13 January, p 39). A quite large nickel-cadmium installation with a capacity of about 7 megawatthours is still, as far as I am aware, working in Alaska. There are other technologies, too. Japan has over 100 large sodium-sulphur systems, with capacities up to 70 megawatthours, supporting its electricity grid. There are now three such installations in the north-east US. There is also a pilot ZEBRA (sodium-nickel-chloride) installation of 100 kilowatt-hours in Ontario, Canada. All these systems have their pluses and minuses, but all will be needed to help the ageing and weary electric grid systems on every continent. Midhurst, Ontario, Canada
Wrong kind of kiss From Anna Friedlander I have just read the very enjoyable “Mind the mistletoe” (23 December 2006, p 42). I was surprised, however, to read in a sidebar that “The ‘Malay kiss’, which consists of nose rubbing and sniffing is the ‘French kiss’ among… Maoris”. The hongi is a common Maori greeting, but consists of a nose-press, and sometimes an exchange of breath, rather than nose rubbing and sniffing. It is a formal greeting, not an erotic “kiss” as comparison to a “French kiss” might suggest. And the plural of “Maori” is “Maori”. Wellington, New Zealand
Belief or not From David McMahon Roy Sablosky writes to claim that atheism is not itself a belief (13 January, p 19). But, to quote the Oxford English Dictionary, an atheist is “one who denies or disbelieves the existence of a God”. The correct term for someone who does not believe in the existence of a god, but does not assert the non-existence of a god, is “agnostic”. Mosman, New South Wales, Australia From Dave Minter Roy Sablosky’s letter reminds me of a signature line that I saw on a contribution to an online bulletin board. It read: “If atheism is a faith, then not playing chess is a hobby.” London, UK
For the record ● We quoted Steen Stender as saying that Denmark has seen a 20 per cent fall in deaths from heart disease since the 2003 ban on trans-fats (6 January, p 13). He clarifies that there was a 20 per cent fall between 2000 and 2005.
Letters should be sent to: Letters to the Editor, New Scientist, 84 Theobald’s Road, London WC1X 8NS Fax: +44 (0) 20 7611 1280 Email: [email protected] Include your address and telephone number, and a reference (issue, page number, title) to articles. We reserve the right to edit letters. Reed Business Information reserves the right to use any submissions sent to the letters column of New Scientist magazine, in any other format.
3 Februray 2007 | NewScientist | 21