Thread: Dark Matter

Originally Posted by Seraphim

To further my proposition that the calculations themselves may be in error:

I don't see how any of that showed that the calculations may be in error.

In fact I'm not even sure why you're trying so hard to show that the idea
of dark matter is wrong.

Originally Posted by NYCshaver

I don't see how any of that showed that the calculations may be in error.

In fact I'm not even sure why you're trying so hard to show that the idea
of dark matter is wrong.

I believe Han Solo has the answer:

Kid, I've flown from one side of this galaxy to the other. I've seen a lot of strange stuff, but I've never seen anything to make me believe there's one all-powerful Force controlling everything. There's no mystical energy field controls my destiny! It's all a lot of simple tricks and nonsense.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

I believe Han Solo has the answer:

Wouldn't that answer equally well for the existence of God?

Originally Posted by MichaelP

Wouldn't that answer equally well for the existence of God?

Which is essentially my point made in the OP:

So, scientifically speaking, dark matter is about as observable as the presence of God?

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Which is essentially my point made in the OP:

There is still a difference between the two tho: science changes as our knowledge advances and our knowledge advances through observation of the world around us.

I'm not saying that the science side of the debate holds the ultimate truth, I personally think that both sides attack the same problem from different angles. As usual in those cases, the extremes on both sides miss the big picture completely. The world isn't binary...

Originally Posted by MichaelP

There is still a difference between the two tho: science changes as our knowledge advances and our knowledge advances through observation of the world around us.

I'm not saying that the science side of the debate holds the ultimate truth, I personally think that both sides attack the same problem from different angles. As usual in those cases, the extremes on both sides miss the big picture completely. The world isn't binary...

Ther world isn't binary, and the universe is only 4.5% observable, so there is alot of "unknown" out there.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

I believe Han Solo has the answer:

That still doesn't answer why you're so interested in showing that the idea of dark matter is wrong.

Originally Posted by NYCshaver

That still doesn't answer why you're so interested in showing that the idea of dark matter is wrong.

I'm not necessarily saying it's "wrong" I'm saying it is only circumstantially observable at best.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

I'm not necessarily saying it's "wrong" I'm saying it is only circumstantially observable at best.

Well that's in the definition of dark matter:

Dark matter is a theoretical form of matter that is undetectable by its emitted radiation, but whose presence can be inferred from gravitational effects on visible matter.

It may be dark, it may be light, but does it really matter? Is gravity of any real consequence to things other than, oh, apples? After all the universe is continuing to expand. Wouldn't one expect that after billions and billions of years of supposedly pulling things together that gravity actually would be starting to pull things together? Or is it like corporate executives, the cosmos just does things its way regardless of how us little folks think it ought to behave, lambda or no lambda?