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From: rcd@opus.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: Re: The value 'c'
Message-ID: <757@opus.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 30-Aug-84 04:41:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: opus.757
Posted: Thu Aug 30 04:41:49 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Sep-84 12:58:01 EDT
References: <1160@ihuxq.UUCP> <240@uwmacc.UUCP>
Organization: NBI, Boulder
Lines: 30

(From Paul Dubois)
> > [Ken Perlow]
> > I've heard a real creationist with a real PhD (in something) say that
> > the speed of light is changing, and used to be much higher, perhaps
> > infinite.  His "research" is provably bogus, however.  And clearly,
> > were the speed of light truly variable, *ALL* of post-Newtonian physics
> > would have to be thrown out.  Gadzooks--more than that!  Do you know
> > how many equations "c" figures into?
> 
> About the speed of light:  not to dispute whether it is variable or
> not, but the sentiment expressed by Ken above may be characterized,
> perhaps, as unnecessarily dogmatic.  Not because it affirms a well-
> attested phenomenon or fact of the universe, but because it seems
> to be based on the idea "if it is does turn out to be variable,
> we have to rethink our physics?"  Is that unthinkable?...

It's not unthinkable, of course--but if you're going to make a major
upheaval, you'd better have a good reason.  The problem with making the
speed of light variable is one of the standard creationist problems
occurring again--an attempt to dodge what we can observe or rewrite what we
see in order to justify a theory, rather than developing the theory from
what we can observe.  Science just doesn't work out very well if you do it
backwards.

Stated differently, what is explained by allowing 'c' to vary?  In what way
does that provide us with either better explanation for observed phenomena
or better predictability?  It doesn't, so we reject it.
-- 
Dick Dunn	{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd		(303)444-5710 x3086
   ...I'm not cynical - just experienced.