"Newton knew why gravity occurred" , No he didnt , and thats a fact ,
If it's a fact, then you will have no problem finding a physics text that states "Newton did not understand why gravity occurred". Or put another way, any physics text that states that gravity does not occur because of Mass, which is what Newton's Law of Gravitation states.
And to make it fair, let's agree to take the definition of "understand" from one of these:
1. mental process of a person who comprehends; comprehension; personal interpretation: My understanding of the word does not agree with yours.
2. intellectual faculties; intelligence; mind: a quick understanding.
3. superior power of discernment; enlightened intelligence: With her keen understanding she should have become a leader.
4. knowledge of or familiarity with a particular thing; skill in dealing with or handling something: an understanding of accounting practice.
5. a state of cooperative or mutually tolerant relations between people: To him, understanding and goodwill were the supreme virtues.
6. a mutual agreement, esp. of a private, unannounced, or tacit kind: They had an understanding about who would do the dishes.
7. an agreement regulating joint activity or settling differences, often informal or preliminary in character: After hours of negotiation, no understanding on a new contract was reached.
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So dont talk like you really know what your talking about fasstlane , Higgs himself admitted he might not know what he talks about.
You put me in excellent company putting me in with Higgs; I thank you! And you are correct, I don't have to talk like I know anything when you do such a great job of making the point for me.
It is perfectly reasonable for him, and myself, to be skeptical of the Higgs and of finding it. Unlike religion, we don't hold on to our saints and angels like dogma... if the Higgs isn't found, it's a big deal for the Standard Model because it has to be re-writtent, but the nuclear reactors aren't suddenly going to stop... the gamma rays won't stop falling... the super kamiokande experiment is not suddently invalid... in short all the SUCCESSES of the SM are not nullified, we were merely mining for new success in the wrong place with the Higgs.
I assert that Higgs and myself DO know what we are talking and like a good scientist, I prove it this way:
a) If I know what I'm talking about, the LHC will not blow up the world.
b) If I know what I'm talking about, the LHC will find a Higss (with 90% confidence)
c) If I know what I"m talking about and the LHC doesn't find a Higss, the experiments will provide insight into why not and in effect, why objects have mass and how do they get it. (100% confidence).
Now then, there is a testable set of hypothesis to show that I know what I'm talking about.
Now then, what are your testable hypothesis that will let us know that YOU know what you are talking about??
