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Old 08-23-2007, 12:39 PM   #1547
MM
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,996
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Re: Baseline skillset

Quote:
Erick Mead wrote: View Post
That's the advantage of physical mechanics as an approach. There is no moral anything, and no authority either, for that matter. Either a physical description is accurate and can be observed just as accurately by someone else looking at the same thing it describes -- or it isn't. No vetting required. Also no personality contests or "my Shihan's physics is better than your Shihan's physics." It may or may not be true -- but it can be shown whether it is or isn't true -- regardless of one's loyalties or lack of reasons to trust a proponent on a given point. It does not require math, just a knowledge of the physical principles used to described motion and their known operations and relationships, although math can be used to check the descriptions more rigorously if one wants.
I disagree with your points. There are always personality contests and there are most definitely my teacher's physics is better than your teacher's physics. Groups of physicists have disagreed on theories for as long as they've been alive and kicking.

Physical descriptions can be inaccurate. And can be wildly inaccurate at that. Ask law enforcement about it. What one person sees is not necessarily what another person sees. Not only that, but some things can be missed entirely.

Here, take this example:

Person A is young and weighs 90 pounds.
Person B is bigger and stronger and weighs 270 pounds.

Now, person A stands with feet side by side in a relaxed posture. Person B stands behind A. B puts his hands under B's armpits.

Now, B lifts A into the air about 2-3'. B puts A down. A again stands the same way. B tries to lift A and can't. B strains and his face turns red. A stands relaxed. Looking at the scene, there is no difference in A. The difference is that B picks up A and then B can not (as in physically unable to) pick up A.

There is no physical principles of motion here. A does not move, but merely stands relaxed. Anyone viewing from the outside (someone who is neither A nor B) would have no clue as to what is going on. Video will show nothing at all on what is really happening (In fact, most will not believe what they are seeing and think it is staged). All anyone will see is first A is picked up and then second B is straining with A not moving. Unless you are either A or B, you have no clue as to what is really going on. And even B doesn't necessarily know what's happening.

Mark
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