Sokal et al

[Bill Millard]

Henry M asked:

> Who is that author for one of the major mags (was it a science mag) 
> that is postulating  that we are witnessing the end of science? Has a 
> book out and is making the radio talk-show rounds suggesting that the 
> big questions have been answered and that now we are only refining 
> and inventing.

That's _The End of Science_ by John Horgan of Scientific American,
whom I've had the privilege of editing, but whose book I haven't
read yet & thus shouldn't judge, swiftly or otherwise.  If he really
does say that, I'd say he's overshot the mark quite a bit -- even
embarrassed himself, possibly.  I'm not sure that's exactly what he
says, though, & should defer to people who know his argument
firsthand.  On subjects as tricky as history/philosophy of science, I
doubt it's a good idea to enter the Nuance-Free Zone (hazardous &
unfriendly territory under even the clearest of circumstances).

Before the book came out, when I was working with him on something
else, Horgan briefly explained to me his idea of "ironic science,"
which has to do with the study of concepts we can't really verify &
can only speculate about, such as superstrings.  Because uncertainty
is inseparable from science anyway, though (see my earlier & longer
post on this), I wonder whether all scientific inquiry ought not to
be viewed as incorporating an ironist's cast of mind.  This would
seem wholly Pynchonian, and not at all equivalent to the
exhaustionist position that Horgan either occupies or is accused of
occupying. 

Any Horganistas out there? anybody want to take this up?

--Bill Millard