[time-nuts] The forbidden question

[William H. Fite]

In answer to your question, there are practical things that can be done
with an optical or electron microscope that cannot be done with unaided
vision. What I am asking is not the validity of the quest for better timing
but rather its tangible applications. Note that I did not say or even
suggest that there are no tangible applications, I'm simply interested in
what they are. I thought I made that fairly clear.

As to your analogy, it is valid only if and to the extent that NIST-F2 has
practical applications. That is what I am asking about.

No,  there is no logic issue in my statement but I will grant that it is a
bit imprecise. (Donning pedant hat) "...will be deleted as soon as I have
read enough to conclude that it is dismissive or snarky."

If you have an answer to my question, I will be very happy to receive it.

Best regards



On Tuesday, June 4, 2019, Bill Beam <wbeam at gci.net> wrote:

> You will have an answer if you can answer the question:
> "Why is an optical microscope needed when unaided vision is good enough?"
> My PhD is in high energy particle physics ca 1966.
> This is not intended to be 'Dismissive and/or snarky'.
> Your statement "Dismissive and/or snarky replies will be deleted unread."
> has a logic issue....
> Regards (73)
>
> On Tue, 4 Jun 2019 12:43:04 -0400, William H. Fite wrote:
>
> >Warning: Potentially heretical material below
>
> >Let me begin by saying I am neither an engineer nor a time expert. My PhD
> >is in statistics and my spouse's PhD is in theoretical computer science,
> >working on quantum computer algorithms. Neither of us claims any special
> >expertise when it comes to time and frequency measurement. I am a radio
> >amateur and I came to this group following a recommendation from John
> >Ackermann, who very kindly answered some questions for me regarding the
> >amateur radio frequency measurement test. I thoroughly enjoy the dialogue
> >here and I think that I have learned a bit about the subject though, by
> any
> >standard of this group, I am the rankest newbie.
>
> >My question is a serious one. I am not trolling, nor am I trying to begin
> >an argument, nor am I implying criticism of anyone or any endeavor, here
> or
> >elsewhere.
>
> >What useful purpose, if any, is served by the continuing evolution of
> >clocks like NIST-F2 that now achieve accuracy along the lines of one
> second
> >per many billions of years? Are there tangible benefits to be had? I
> >consulted an astronomer friend who advised that the current generation of
> >clocks would allow a suitable space vehicle to plant a probe squarely in
> >the middle of Alpha Centauri, if rocket technology existed to do so. We
> >have many friends in the academic computer science community who say that
> >neither conventional nor quantum computers that exist at present or in the
> >projectable future require anything like this kind of accuracy.
>
> >By no means am I questioning the value of new knowledge qua knowledge. For
> >theoreticians like the one to whom I am wedded, no justification is needed
> >beyond the words of mountaineer George Mallory: "Because it's there." I'm
> >sure that engineers and scientists in the field of time and frequency
> >measurement feel the same. From that perspective, there need be no
> >rationalization beyond the desire to do it just a little better than it
> has
> >been done.
>
> >Please don't lecture me about the value of science for its own sake. My
> >career has largely been built on that principle. I'd like to be informed
> as
> >to present or anticipated applications that require such accuracy. Are we
> >developing these incredible devices just to push boundaries? Or do they
> >have some practical purpose?
>
> >I'll appreciate thoughtful answers. Dismissive and/or snarky replies will
> >be deleted unread.
>
> >Thanks for your help.
>
>
> >--
> >Homo sum humani a me nihil alienum puto.
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>
>
> Bill Beam
> NL7F
>
>
>
>

-- 
Homo sum humani a me nihil alienum puto.