X-Message-Number: 21099
From: 
Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 13:51:43 EST
Subject: Re: CryoNet #21077 Is MNT science-fiction

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From: Henri Kluytmans <>
Subject: Is MNT science-fiction ?


> >Science is about testable observational or experimental facts. 
> 
> NOPE.
> 
> Science is about making theoretical models that can predict observational 
> or experimental facts. 

If they can predict observational or experimental facts, they are testable. 
If a theory can predict different things depending on an unknown parameter 
for example, then the observation is not a test, because it will fix the free 
parameter but can't refute the theory. So this one is not scientific, because 
it will survive the test whatever its result. It is a faith. Well, nothing 
forbid MNT on the theoretical ground but you can't make a road map to build 
them, so it is simply a science possibility, a science-fiction.

Think for example about superluminal astronef, a classical of sci-fi novels. 
You may think this would ask for some new physics, it is not the case: The 
velocity of light is fixed by the interaction between real particle and 
virtual one from the quantum vacuum. If you find a practical way (a 
technological problem) to screen the interaction, the light speed can be 
expanded as much as you want.

It seems nobody know how to tackle the problem today so it is science - 
fiction, not techno - fiction. MNT are in the same class: Not impossible in 
theory, but nobody know how to make them.

My final comment is that I am very doubtful about the use of such devices in 
cryonics. I would be somewhat "Donaldsonian" on that point: System with nano 
parts, yes, nano devices, no.

Yvan Bozzonetti.

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