HN Books @HNBooksMonth

I came back to check on comments here.

I cannot believe how poor most of these comments are. It’s unbelievable.

HN used to be a place where educated, well though out discussions occurred.

Now there’s barely an ounce of critical thought.

It’s horrible and sad.

Why? I can only surmise. HN perhaps has gotten more popular, more cool, so has had in influx of more people?

Either that or I’m getting older and the newer generation has lost even more critical thought ability than I’d imagined.

Seriously I cannot believe that almost all comments here are conspiracy minded comments arguing against an article that is simply clear and critical thinking.

I beg and implore anyone reading this to read the following book. Even if one person does and learns better critical thinking abilities, it’d be a win.

https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Da...

For the time being, I feel like I need to step away from HN comments altogether. It ends up being the most depressing part of my day.

Again I can only lament the lack of science education in this country.

Triangles show up as triangular bokeh... therefore... must be aliens?? Im sorry that Twitter user thought it was denigrating those in the military.. but that’s a red herring argument and nothing to do with anything.

This is a much better read than Twitter...

https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Da...

⬐ jk7tarYZAQNpTQa

>Again I can only lament the lack of science education in this country.

What country exactly?

> Triangles show up as triangular bokeh... therefore... must be aliens??

No. But, "Triangles show up as triangular bokeh" completely disproves the sentence "it's just bokeh, not a pyramid". Additionally, when people talk about UFOs, they don't imply it must be aliens (even though it's the most probable explanation for several top members of the US government).

> This is a much better read than Twitter...

Agreed. Most reads are better than Twitter. But let me recommend you to read something on the UFO phenomenon, so that you get a better understanding of it. For example something from Jacques Vallée, who has been applying data science to it since the 70s.

⬐ crazydoggers

I know Vallée, he was the inspiration for the character in Close Encounters.

His thinking is marked by significant logical errors including but not least..

Observational selection: basically ignoring the large body of observational evidence against UFO as paranormal or alien

Appeal to ignorance: Saying since we can’t 100% disprove ufos are alien or paranormal, they must be

Straw man: Blaming hard to explain data on some “invisible entity” attempting to deceive mankind

Special pleading: He can’t explain why crop circles exist. So “watch out. It is probably psychological warfare”

If you read Carl Sagan’s book, you’ll quickly realize that the “science” of Vallée is not that at all. And it’s not just Carl Sagan, the vast 99% of scientist with a firm understanding of the scientific method would concur.

Ultimately, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and that is precisely what UFO phenomena fail to generate in regards to alien or paranormal explanations.

All the comments here simply show the very poor state of science education.

Everyone should read this book and then reevaluate comments about chiropractors.

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345409469/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm...

And I’m not throwing shade. It’s not any single persons fault or a comment on character. I really do believe there’s a systemic problem with our education system. The reason chiropracty causes this to stand out is that it very successfully flaunts the scientific method and is still accepted at large (for reasons I won’t start going into, but most of which are covered in the book)

If only everyone read Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark[0], or at least the Baloney Detection Kit part.

[0] https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Da...

⬐ brendanmc6

Should be required reading in school. Someone recently asked me what's the most important book I've ever read, and I said this.

Every human should know about the potential fallacies of the mind, how to find truth, and how to be happy simply 'not believing' something (distinct from 'disbelieving') until you have evidence either way.

If there is any set of ideas that improved my life the most it's definitely these-- thanks to Sagan, Michael Shermer, James Randi and others, and no thanks to any of my high school or college professors.

I'm going to add mine for 2012 too Carl Sagan's "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark"

http://www.amazon.com/The-Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle...

No.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle...

(Also, for fun, I have tried actively seeking them out by staying in places that are on top ten lists for hauntings. In some cases I've gotten to spend the night thanks to cash bribes. Unlike TV, you know what happens in a really "haunted" place with no electricity? Boredom and darkness. Mostly darkness. )

People nicely covered it here. A few other additions:

(a) Why is Sex Fun (http://www.amazon.com/Why-Sex-Fun-Evolution-Sexuality/dp/046...): covers the history of human sexuality

(b) The Prophet: http://www.katsandogz.com/gibran.html

(c) Demon Haunted World by Sagan http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dar... is a nice place to explain the method of science

(d) Sleepwalkers (http://www.amazon.com/Sleepwalkers-History-Changing-Universe...) gives you an idea of how we humans,err,sidetrack and ultimately come to explaining the universe

That should be enough for this summer

http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0345409469/