Should the Hadron Collider be allowed? (1 Viewer)

[impervious182]

A few other threads have dealt with the question of, will the Hadron Collider result in a black hole, and the end of the earth? The poll results indicated that no, many people think that nothing will happen when the particles are eventually collided.

(Note: they were scheduled to collide today, but delayed due to numerous injunctions filed by skeptics.*)

However the topic draws a more serious and contentious issue, should the Hadron Collider be allowed to be tested if it poses any threat, or we are unsure about the possible consequences?

I think no. I think that there need to be limits to scientific exploration. Even if the chances of the world being destroyed are 0.00005%, the chance still exists. How can one excuse putting the lives of others at jeopardy without their consent.

It's one thing to commit suicide, it's another to commit mass murder, or at the very least manslaughter.

(As they, in all likelihood, do not intend on having negative results.)

*Just to note, an edit here, it seems that it was in fact technical difficulties not the numerous injunctions which delayed the Hadron Collider's run. How positive are scientists that there are no risks, when these same scientists have more than triple checked the machine and still make mistakes in its construction? Some of the students of science on the forum, dismiss the discerning views of a skeptic, and alas one not studying science! In the end though, scientists have been proven wrong many times before, global dimming, Arrhenius' theory of acids etc. Never however have the consequences of a mistake been so high.

 

[Trampoline Man]

Every time you go driving, there is a risk that you'll veer off the road and kill a pedestrian.

In fact, the likelihood of that happening is probably much greater than that of the LHC killing a mosquito, so should we hold a referendum every time someone wants to exit their driveway?

 

[Silver Persian]

I've got a can of baked beans in my pocket in case the end of the world is nigh

 

[Trampoline Man]

Oh, and the collisions weren't delayed by litigation from deluded non-scientists. They were delayed by a fault in the construction, which requires months to fix.

 

[squeenie]

Wasn't the delay because of technical problems with the superconducting magnets, not 'numerous injunctions filed by skeptics'?

No, the chance does not exist, because even if a black hole was created, it would almost instantly decay through Hawking radiation. Do a bit of research, won't you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_of_particle_collisions_at_the_Large_Hadron_Collider

Edit: If there should be limits on scientific exploration, where would you draw the line?

 

[Kwayera]

Wasn't the delay because of technical problems with the superconducting magnets, not 'numerous injunctions filed by skeptics'?

No, the chance does not exist, because even if a black hole was created, it would almost instantly decay through Hawking radiation. Do a bit of research, won't you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_of_particle_collisions_at_the_Large_Hadron_Collider

Yep. They've delayed repairs until after the European winter.

 

[Kwayera]

I think no. I think that there need to be limits to scientific exploration. Even if the chances of the world being destroyed are 0.00005%, the chance still exists. How can one excuse putting the lives of others at jeopardy without their consent.

It's much less than 0.00005%. Given the impossibility of the event, it's closer to 1.0x10^-infinity.

 

[impervious182]

Not my words, try BBC News:

"But in 2003, Dr Adrian Kent, a theoretical physicist at the University of Cambridge, wrote a paper in which he argued that scientists had not adequately calculated the risks of a "killer strangelet" catastrophe scenario.


He also expressed concern that a fundamental question (how improbable does a cataclysm have to be to warrant proceeding with an experiment?) had never been seriously inspected."

There was going to be a poll with this.

 

[Trefoil]

A few other threads have dealt with the question of, will the Hadron Collider result in a black hole, and the end of the earth? The poll results indicated that no, many people think that nothing will happen when the particles are eventually collided.

(Note: they were scheduled to collide today, but delayed due to numerous injunctions filed by skeptics.)

However the topic draws a more serious and contentious issue, should the Hadron Collider be allowed to be tested if it poses any threat, or we are unsure about the possible consequences?

I think no. I think that there need to be limits to scientific exploration. Even if the chances of the world being destroyed are 0.00005%, the chance still exists. How can one excuse putting the lives of others at jeopardy without their consent.

It's one thing to commit suicide, it's another to commit mass murder, or at the very least manslaughter.

(As they, in all likelihood, do not intend on having negative results.)

You're a moron. Piss off.

But hey, if you're scared, don't forget to bring your towel.

 

[impervious182]

You're a moron. Piss off.

You're a rude pig. Why don't you go away.

 

[Trefoil]

You're a rude pig. Why don't you go away.

No, seriously though, you're a moron for even starting this thread. Somebody had to say it.

 

[impervious182]

Wasn't the delay because of technical problems with the superconducting magnets, not 'numerous injunctions filed by skeptics'?

No, the chance does not exist, because even if a black hole was created, it would almost instantly decay through Hawking radiation. Do a bit of research, won't you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_of_particle_collisions_at_the_Large_Hadron_Collider

Edit: If there should be limits on scientific exploration, where would you draw the line?

Thanks... hmm... Wikipedia, the most reliable source out there.

I'd probably draw the line at eugenics, at jeopardising other people's lives, at putting them at risk. I'd probably draw the line about testing how effective certain poisons are on humans and so on... I'd draw the line at the Hadron Collider.

 

[Trefoil]

Thanks... hmm... Wikipedia, the most reliable source out there.

I'd probably draw the line at eugenics, at jeopardising other people's lives, at putting them at risk. I'd probably draw the line about testing how effective certain poisons are on humans and so on... I'd draw the line at the Hadron Collider.

Yeah, because you're an uninformed moron.

 

[Graney]

I'd draw the line at the Hadron Collider.

U shudn't be allowered to post.

 

[squeenie]

Thanks... hmm... Wikipedia, the most reliable source out there.

I'd probably draw the line at eugenics, at jeopardising other people's lives, at putting them at risk. I'd probably draw the line about testing how effective certain poisons are on humans and so on... I'd draw the line at the Hadron Collider.

Oh fine: http://news.slashdot.org/news/08/06/23/134251.shtml?tid=271

Wikipedia may not be the most reliable source out there, but its good enough for our purposes.

And since when were poisons tested on humans?!

 

[HalcyonSky]

Thanks... hmm... Wikipedia, the most reliable source out there.

I'd probably draw the line at eugenics, at jeopardising other people's lives, at putting them at risk. I'd probably draw the line about testing how effective certain poisons are on humans and so on... I'd draw the line at the Hadron Collider.

moron detected

please stop posting, for the sake of your dignity

 

[youBROKEmyLIFE]

This thread doesn't need to exist.

 

[impervious182]

Yeah, because you're an uninformed moron.

Drivel, drivel, drivel.

U shudn't be allowered to post.

Badly spelt drivel... but still drivel.

Why do you people feel the need to oppress dissenting views. You can't contribute to the debate, so you criticise the person.

It's really sad, just how intolerant some people here really are.

 

[HalcyonSky]

Drivel, drivel, drivel.



Badly spelt drivel... but still drivel.

Why do you people feel the need to oppress dissenting views. You can't contribute to the debate, so you criticise the person.

It's really sad, just how intolerant some people here really are.

There's nothing to debate about, if you knew anything at all about physics you'd know that the LHC is completely safe. Thanks for expressing to us your amazingly limited knowledge.

 

[impervious182]

And since when were poisons tested on humans?!

Lol. It was done by kings to ensure there food wasn't poisoned, an experiment... not testing the effect of a specific poison though... just pointing out that I don't think other people's lives should be put on the line on shaky theories.

The fact that the Hadron Collider still has mistakes is indicative of the fact that its creators can make miscalculations and mistakes. I am just worried and many people on this forum are arrogant oppressors.