Jamesian Philosophy Refreshed

Continuing yesterday's thoughts. Back in 1989, two chemists claimed to have created a simple table top apparatus that would work at room temperatures and that would create excess energy in amounts that, the chemists contended, had no explanation other than the incredible one: atoms were fusing. The scientists were: Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann. They were both sufficiently distinguished that the claim could not be dismissed lightly. Pons had a Ph.D. from the University of Southampton; Fleischmann from the Imperial College, London. That's Fleischmann in the photo that goes with this text, holding part of the apparatus, which was a little more complicated than Dogbert's. Their claims set off a frenzy of speculation about what this would mean. Some thought it would be bad news -- that the human race could not be trusted with the prospect of unlimited energy this implied. The more usual view was that this was great good news -- an apparently insatiable hunger ...

A couple of classic DILBERT strips spoke to the long-ago fuss over cold fusion. At the center of thee strips is Dilbert's dog, who is a confidence artist, always scheming to separate  dopes, at Dilbert's work place and elsewhere, from their money. In the first of the two strips I have in mind, Dogbert is showing Dilbert the invention involved in his latest plan, a shining glass jar. "I'm ready to hold a press conference to introduce my cold fusion breakthrough." Dilbert responds, "All you did is put a light bulb in a jar. I can see the wires plugged into the outlet." "I considered using a jar with frosted glass, but it seemed like overkill." "You have a low opinion of people." In the second strip, the plan has gotten to the next phase. There is a reporter and a cameraman standing in front of the table where Dogbert's apparatus is set up. D: "As you clearly see, I have created cold fusion." C...