A good letter supposedly sent to Wessely

[heapsreal]

Dear Professor Wessely,

I am writing this letter for several reasons. The first is to share with you what one of my University professors shared with me. When I was a university student, one of the professors told me the story of when he was sitting in a lecture at his university in his youth. An elderly man had been giving a lecture to a room full of students. This elderly man had spent his entire life working on a specific scientific theory.

During the middle of the lecture, a young man walked in, interrupting the lecture. He took a piece of chalk and explained in 5minutes why the elderly mans specific scientific theory was wrong. He drew up a few equations on the blackboard and convincingly destroyed the elderly mans theory and everything he had worked on for over 40 years. Not only did the younger man prove the elderly mans theory wrong but he did it in front of an entire lecture hall, full of the elderly mans students.

The elderly man looked over the younger mans writing and equations on the blackboard and pondered everything for a few seconds. The elderly man then shook the younger mans hand and told the younger man Thank you.

Despite spending his entire life on a theory that had just been proven wrong the elderly man didnt persist believing in his original theory. The elderly man didnt get angry and didnt feel embarrassed about being proven wrong in front of hundreds of students. The elderly man was grateful for the advancement of science. This is the mark of a true scientist. This is what true science is all about. When a superior theory comes along or a current theory is proven wrong it is the mark of a true scientist to change their opinions.

Heres the link to the rest of the article
http://livingwithchronicfatiguesynd...nversing-with-professor-simon-wessely-part-1/
plus other links with his reply.

cheers!!!

 

[Enid]

Nice find heapsreal - many thanks - seems to be others out there too trying to reason with this small coterie of psychos despite their tactics of resorting to sensationlism. But so far it reminds me of the joke "no good knocking, there's nobody in"

 

[Merry]

How disingenuous for Simon Wessely to say he's no longer involved in the politics of CFS. Oh, I see now that the blog entry was a year ago. Since then, recently, Simon Wessely has decided to re-enter politics. Why would that be? Any reason besides promotion of a book written by friends? He's missed commiserating with friends at The Guardian and seeing his picture in the news? He now has a vague notion that scientific research is going on that puts his work to shame, and he feels anxious?

 

[Enid]

I quite agree Merry - probably very anxious now in the light of research findings.

 

[Merry]

Anyone know the name of the Living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome blogger who initiated this correspondence with Simon Wessely? I didn't see a name in the "About Me" section.

 

[Firestormm]

Thank you.

I found Prof Wessely's replies of as much if not more interest to read:

http://livingwithchronicfatiguesynd...nversing-with-professor-simon-wessely-part-2/

The above includes - out of interest - a possible explanation as to his 'appearance' on research papers after having effectively left the field, for example.

http://livingwithchronicfatiguesynd...nversing-with-professor-simon-wessely-part-3/

Always good to have the context (i.e. the letters to which he replied) to hand as well of course.

This exchange was dated almost a year a go to the day.

 

[Enid]

Interesting reading Firestormm - despite considerable difficulties on my part reading his twaddle about ME ! (but then he talking about something with a vague name of Chronic Fatigue.)