Re: 7.1Hz, how the heck did Tesla succeed?

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: Terry Fritz <teslalist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

HI,

Of course, all geniuses have their good and bad days ;-))  Usually 
many many bad days, and a few ultra good ones where they change everything!!

One common thing I see is forgetting to take into account the world 
in which they lived.  We can't blame any past scientist for not 
knowing the future...  We base much on what Tesla did before 
1900...  I really wonder how much of that he would have "updated" in 
1935 given the free chance.

We just can't take a single event, belief, or quote and apply it to 
any other situation about them.  In the early 30's Tesla said a lot 
of NOT very believable things...  Was his cosmic ray motor used to 
power the 1933 Pierce Arrow automobile!!??  Did he and Einstein make 
an antigravity machine!!??  Did he discover an entirely new source of 
energy while staying at the Hotel Governor Clinton!!

http://www.cardcow.com/images/set33/card00360_fr.jpg

We are "sure" he stayed at the hotel by that name...  But the rest...

Tesla also quarrelled about if he or Marconi had the "best" death ray 
to end all wars...

We can always dance up the great ideas, and pullout the bad ones from 
the closet of the skeletons...

But each of us has to judge these poor fellows in light of what we 
know about them and what we know about the world.  In Tesla's case, 
we have a very rich variety of fact and fiction to chose from...

Forgive those of us that chose items from that great shelf 
differently than others...

Cheers,

        Terry





At 06:21 PM 7/20/2005, you wrote:
> Matt,
>
> > Understanding does not necessarily mean agreeing with or accepting 
> > verbatim. Neither does genius imply infallibility:
>
> > Aristotle was a genius, but his idea that the brain's function was 
> > to cool the blood is wrong.
>
> Yes, Aristotle was a genius.  Just so happens the human head 
> radiates a huge amount of heat from the human body.  About 30% 
> radiation of total body heat in adults and around 50% in enfants.
>
> > DaVinci was a genius, but his muscle-powered flying machines couldn't fly.
>
> Yes, DaVinci was a genius.  Human powered flying machines rely only 
> on human muscle power.  The Gossamer Albatross was a human-powered 
> aircraft built by Dr Paul B. MacCready. On June 12, 1979 it 
> completed a successful crossing of the English Channel to win the 
> second Kremer prize.
>
>
> > Newton was a genius, but his devotion to alchemy was misguided.
>
> Yes, Newton was a genius.  Modern accelerators commonly and almost 
> effortlessly produce new and different elements and isotopes every day.
>
> > Tesla was a genius, but his beliefs about the Aether were wrong.
>
> Yes, Tesla was a genius.  Do you really expect us to trust your 
> false examples and faulty logic?
>
> stork