To: feyerabend-AT-lists.driftline.org
From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?C=E9dric_Foellmi?= <cfoellmi-AT-eso.org>
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2006 11:35:43 -0300
Subject: [PKF]  Introduction/Hello


Dear members of the list,

As suggested by the website, a newcomer should write an email to all  
to introduce himself. So here it is.

I am a Swiss astrophysicist currently working at the European  
Southern Observatory in Chile (but soon moving to France). I am an  
active researcher in the field of massive stars and their  
descendants. I am trying to also be involved in the extension of  
General Relativity.

I learned about Paul Feyerabend's ideas at college (just before  
University) in Switzerland and rapidly found myself comfortable with  
his ideas. This was the time I was very much interested by  
epistemology. Then came the studies, and I found none of my  
colleagues really interested in these questions. I move to Canada for  
my PhD and the interest for these matters was even lower around me. I  
then moved to Chile after my PhD and I realized that the lack of  
scientific culture and lack of epistemological discussions was  
actually the rule also among professional astrophysicists, and not  
only students. People even do not seem concerned by their decreasing  
free space for thinking.

Finally, I recently found out the existence of this list, and I must  
apologize for having been silent for ~two weeks. I was very curious  
to know if the list was very active or not. It seems to be, but could  
be more.

I think that epistemology is of great importance for science, but I  
am rather surprised and interested by the fact that, as far as I can  
tell (correct me if I'm wrong!), the people that actively think about  
science (the epistemologists) are not the ones who actually produce  
the science itself. My main concern in this is the lowered  
importance, I think, that is given to the role of measurements. Maybe  
it is an old question, and I'm sorry for that. I never really found  
an active place where to discuss these matters.

I plan to actively read the messages of the list, and I might  
participate to the discussions as much as my competence allows me.

Best regards,

Cédric

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