Hi From NH

TortoiseDream · Aug 14, 2010

I'm a physics/mathematics student in my last year as an undergraduate at UNH. Next year I'll be going to grad school somewhere, not sure yet. I want to study theoretical physics, especially problems related to particle physics and cosmology. Pure mathematics will always be a hobby, though, as well.

As for my beliefs in a nutshell, I'm an anarchist (which won't be hard to figure out from my posts) and a near pacifist. I'm not religious, but not an atheist either; I think a lot about epistemological questions, and don't seem to be getting anywhere with them. This prevents me from taking a solid stance on anything, but rationality and empiricism form the backbone of my practical philosophy in the meantime (at least that's what I strive for).

I'm also hugely interested in the arts - music, painting, calligraphy, film. Right now I'm on an Akira Kurosawa film binge. That's about it, for now

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obtuseobserver · Aug 17, 2010

you remind me of a comment from a great banjo player

"It's so hard to believe in anything anymore. I mean, it's like, religion, you really can't take it seriously, because it seems so mythological, it seems so arbitrary...but, on the other hand, science is just pure empiricism, and by virtue of its method, it excludes metaphysics. I guess I wouldn't believe in anything anymore if it weren't for my lucky astrology mood watch."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l31MSpojWTA

myp · Aug 17, 2010

Welcome to the forums! Theoretical physics- that is an intense, but very interesting subject in my opinion. What schools are you looking at for next year?

TortoiseDream · Aug 18, 2010

obtuseobserver said:
you remind me of a comment from a great banjo player

"It's so hard to believe in anything anymore. I mean, it's like, religion, you really can't take it seriously, because it seems so mythological, it seems so arbitrary...but, on the other hand, science is just pure empiricism, and by virtue of its method, it excludes metaphysics. I guess I wouldn't believe in anything anymore if it weren't for my lucky astrology mood watch."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l31MSpojWTA

lol I'm not sure what you mean. I love the banjo, though. I listen to guys like Uncle Dave Macon, Charlie Poole, and Buell Kazee sometimes.

myp said:
Welcome to the forums! Theoretical physics- that is an intense, but very interesting subject in my opinion. What schools are you looking at for next year?

A lot! Probably all of the big names in physics - Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Cornell, UPenn, Caltech, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, Stanford, University of Chicago, University of Texas Austin, University of Michigan, as well as some overseas in the U.K. (maybe) like Cambridge, Imperial College, Oxford. I've done a lot these past few years, and I think I have at least some chance of being accepted to at least one of these schools.

obtuseobserver · Aug 18, 2010

TortoiseDream said:
lol I'm not sure what you mean. I love the banjo, though. I listen to guys like Uncle Dave Macon, Charlie Poole, and Buell Kazee sometimes.

Was just an old Steve Martin quote that cracks me up

And, ftr - he's a pretty decent banjo player! Well, as far as I know anyway.

myp · Aug 23, 2010

TortoiseDream said:
A lot! Probably all of the big names in physics - Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Cornell, UPenn, Caltech, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, Stanford, University of Chicago, University of Texas Austin, University of Michigan, as well as some overseas in the U.K. (maybe) like Cambridge, Imperial College, Oxford. I've done a lot these past few years, and I think I have at least some chance of being accepted to at least one of these schools.

Quite some prestigious names there- best of luck to you in getting in where you want to go.

I am currently an undergrad student as well- junior biology (physiology/neurobiology concentration) major at UMD.

AK_ID · Aug 24, 2010

Very prestigious schools in your future, TortoiseDream. My youngest brat majored in physics (nano-something or another -- don't ask me, I just signed the tuition checks). I do know that the little gal worked like heck, and probably burned up a few synapses along the way. I wouldn't trust scientists with our entire future, but I sure do trust them with a part of it. Best of luck to you.

Gunny · Aug 29, 2010

Welcome to the boards, Tortoise. Look forward to debating with you.

Theoretical physics, huh? My favorite scientist in that field was Robert Oppenheimer, the scientific director and genius behind the Manhattan Project. Always been fascinated with him. He was beyond brilliant. And a little known fact about Oppenheimer was he was as passionate about reading poetry as he was a scientist.

Semper Fi, brother.

TortoiseDream · Aug 29, 2010

myp said:
Quite some prestigious names there- best of luck to you in getting in where you want to go.

I am currently an undergrad student as well- junior biology (physiology/neurobiology concentration) major at UMD.

Thanks very much. I will need all the luck I can get. Good luck with your studies as well. What are you gonna do after undergrad?

AK_ID said:
Very prestigious schools in your future, TortoiseDream. My youngest brat majored in physics (nano-something or another -- don't ask me, I just signed the tuition checks). I do know that the little gal worked like heck, and probably burned up a few synapses along the way. I wouldn't trust scientists with our entire future, but I sure do trust them with a part of it. Best of luck to you.

Yea that's pretty much how my dad understands it too. He pays the bills, but he's happy that I am doing well.

Gunny said:
Welcome to the boards, Tortoise. Look forward to debating with you.

Theoretical physics, huh? My favorite scientist in that field was Robert Oppenheimer, the scientific director and genius behind the Manhattan Project. Always been fascinated with him. He was beyond brilliant. And a little known fact about Oppenheimer was he was as passionate about reading poetry as he was a scientist.

Semper Fi, brother.

I don't know too much about Oppenheimer, unfortunately. I'm a big fan of Feynman, like most people, who was also a bongo player.

Gunny · Aug 29, 2010

TortoiseDream said:
I don't know too much about Oppenheimer, unfortunately.

Oppenheimer was the brains behind creating the atomic bomb. In fact he's commonly known as the "father of the atomic bomb". He is regarded as one of, if not the greatest theoretical physicist.

Some of his great achievements were.....

- Born?Oppenheimer approximation.

- Work on electron?positron theory.

- Oppenheimer?Phillips process.

- First prediction of quantum tunneling.

- Made significant contributions in the modern theory of neutron stars, black holes, theory of quantum mechanics, quantum field theory, and the interactions of cosmic rays.

myp · Aug 30, 2010

TortoiseDream said:
Thanks very much. I will need all the luck I can get. Good luck with your studies as well. What are you gonna do after undergrad?

Thank you too. I'm planning on going to Pharmacy school to get my pharmd and possibly going into a phd pharm program after that (although I might just decide to work instead- not sure on that yet.)

Hi From NH

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