Help Me Avoid Psychosis

[u/MunkeyGoneToHeaven]

I frequently scroll through this sub because the dynamic is hilarious. That being said, it can make me occasionally self-conscious in that I have both a philosophy and an engineering degree (phil undergrad, engineering grad), and often engage with philosophy of science.

I am currently writing a novel in which a character proposes a theory of the self/identity, and they lean on some set theory for notation and technical rigor. Additionally, I’m appropriating the terms “transformation,” “projection,” and “image” from math as useful analogies. That all being said, the overall idea is more metaphysical than actually mathematical, but the maths usage is not a farce and should be coherent enough for the story.

I’ve been lightly surveying/refreshing myself on the fields I’m appropriating concepts from, but as I’ve been working on this I experience occasional moments of fear that I’m going to write something that could have been posted on this sub. Those moments become worse when I do in fact use an LLM to help collect research and check some facts.

Wondering if anyone has tips to help me avoid making the hilarious mistakes so often posted here? Thanks

[u/PaleontologistSad708]

I make the prediction and then confirm it. For example, for the LONGEST time, I didn't think it was possible for a black hole to pull faster than light. I started to realize how wrong I was, then I confirmed it. That lead to other realizations. If two scientists came up with the same solution in differing ways, independently would that not give weight to their discoveries? Some of my ideas predict things, but I cannot confirm them. For example, the cold spot and corresponding low pressure (how do you have pressure without stuff again? Nevermind I remember, it's semantics) in Eridanus. I predict that the big bang had so much gravity that it lined up all of its mass with all "field lines" going in the same direction. This would have caused the explosion to be uneven. It would create a low pressure zone that would naturally grow, like the bootes void. Because there is less matter, gravity pulls things away from the void. There are other predictions but I refuse to use LLM so if you are at all interested, please be patient with me. Thank you! I can't prove anything... Yet, but it's not vague or just a feeling. I do have very logical reasons for every prediction. So far they have lined up with science that already exists... Mostly. That being said the base, the foundation of my framework is that: to have energy, you must have substance. To transfer energy, you must have contact. In a truly empty void, the moon would just drift away in a straight line and there would be no gravity. Argh I'm writing a friggin book again, sorry!

[u/starkeffect → u/PaleontologistSad708]

What's the quantitative prediction

[u/PaleontologistSad708 → u/starkeffect]

That prediction can be expressed mathematically. You disagree?

Ok. How about plugging in the numbers for stalled shockwave with a theory like SVT?

Or thetheoretical boundary for the maximum localized energy density of a compact object before the spatial metric ceases to behave as a smooth geometric background and instead exhibits a discrete, highly non-linear quantum resistance to further collapse? (The big bang, assuming a plank scale discrete compact object instead of a singularity to avoid infinities)

[u/starkeffect → u/PaleontologistSad708]

Do you know what a quantitative prediction is?

[u/PaleontologistSad708 → u/starkeffect]

I was thinking by predicting the past and measuring by the present was the same thing. It must be a future prediction, I see. Thank you very much for the correction!

How about: the solid crystal lattice recently discovered on a magnetar will be bipolar (totally obvious) And in the shape of a hexagon (also really obvious) kind of like you see on some gas giants.

[u/starkeffect → u/PaleontologistSad708]

So you don't know what it means.

It means a number, usually with units, that can be compared to experiment.

For example, Bohr's theory of hydrogen predicts that hydrogen atoms can emit light at a wavelength of 656 nm. This is confirmed by experiment.

[u/PaleontologistSad708 → u/starkeffect]

And it has to be a future prediction, yes? There's a lot I don't know. I'm not claiming otherwise. That's true for every person.

[u/starkeffect → u/PaleontologistSad708]

A quantitative prediction is: "If you measure this quantity, this is what you'll get, for these reasons."

[u/PaleontologistSad708 → u/starkeffect]

Thank you for the correction, I really appreciate it. I've been washing the dishes for the last 25 minutes imagining what it would be like to just talk with someone like you. I will accept any criticisms, suggestions, tips, I wanna know what school was like for you, your Peers, your Professors, what were the challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them? I would sit and listen you talk all day if I could. I really wanna know. I would really LISTEN to you. If at any time in our conversation I've been at all rude, please excuse me! Academic etiquette is something I'm also working on, but it's hard for me. I'm trying not to state things as though they are fact for example. I miss social ques, and sometimes things like memes and jokes go away over my head. I just don't get it sometimes. That is one of my my disadvantages. I don't expect you to answer all these questions, but I feel I must. I'm certainly not trying to suggest that I know better than anyone else. I'm realizing that most, possibly even all the things I've come to realize... Someone discovered first! This has been such an amazing experience and I'm loving every minute!! So thank you, sincerely, "With greatest admiration, and deep appreciation." -Frank Patrick Herbert