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References: [1] out of his ass (mander.xyz)
submitted 6 months ago by to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
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[–] 29 points 6 months ago (16 children)

I see nothing wrong with suggesting that, so long as it is made clear he is discussing one of many theoretical possibilities.

Is he a kook? He does kinda look like one, but so do a lot of legit scientists, so that's not a good measure.

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  • [–] 34 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (13 children)

    Not a kook. Legit scientist. He has a PhD in theoretical physics, not a theoretical PhD in physics. While he spends a lot of time as a science communicator, he has his bona fides.

    Yes, it's all just theories and intuition like all nascent science.

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  • [–] 17 points 6 months ago (6 children)

    A PhD is not a "get out of Jail" card for kookery.

    He is definitely part of the "woo" people in his field.

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  • [–] 6 points 5 months ago

    I read a book of his once about theoretical ways to make sci-fi technology a reality. It was interesting in a hard sci-fi kind of way, but what really annoyed me was that he kept presenting his ideas as how they would work rather than how they could work.

    Just looking at what people 100 years ago thought life would be like today should be a good indication that while theorizing about the future is interesting and a good way to get ideas moving, future technology is never going to be exactly what you think it will. If we knew exactly how this stuff would work, we wouldn't be imagining it, we'd just make it.

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  • [–] 1 point 6 months ago (2 children)

    How so?

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  • [–] 15 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 child)

    He has been on Coast to Coast AM he has been on Joe Rogan and other scientists in his and other fields are often not happy with his outreach.

    For example

    https://profmattstrassler.com/2013/03/19/why-professor-kaku-why/

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago*

    There are plenty of crazies who have their PhD in some branch of physics/math. One of the reasons I stopped at a bachelor's in physics.

    Its almost a prerequisite. But from what I've read of him in the past, he's pretty far out there.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago (1 child)

    I remember from a podcast with a guy in the same area of Kaku saying that he's not seem with good eyes in their community for saying things that doesn't make much sense.

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago

    He's a heavily published professor of theoretical physics that has been working on string theory, and working as a science communicator, for decades. I have one of his books from the 90s. Globally well-respected smart dude.

    By comparison, you kind of seem like a kook because you can't search a name before making assumptions about someone based on physicality alone.

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