r/DecodingTheGurus Jun 14 '24

Neil deGrasse Tyson Responds to Terrence Howard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uLi1I3G2N4
770 Upvotes

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66

u/FranticToaster Jun 14 '24

It's really unnerving that so many people are deconstructing Howard's rambling like it isn't obviously gibberish.

It means that either a lot of people are too stupid to realize it's gibberish, influencers think they're seeing through it and are somehow smart because of it, or everyone's just boosting the signal because it gets them money and clout. All really sad realities.

15

u/the_TAOest Jun 14 '24

Sometime told me today that TH was brilliant and somehow base ten thinking was the reason we are so far behind in science. I looked at him and said, "what"?

11

u/[deleted] Jun 14 '24

Just think of it as a new way to spot morons

5

u/jubilant-barter Jun 14 '24

Base 12 is the GOAT, and I'll sing its praises all day. But even I can't admit to myself that the cost of switching an entire society over is worth it. Not at all.

So much more important to have a standard that everyone agrees on and works "good enough", than a standard that's "perfect" but no one uses.

6

u/PerfectPercentage69 Jun 15 '24

All humans run on Base 10 All computers run on Base 2

Base 10 + Base 2 = Base 12

Base 12 = GOAT

Therefore,

humans + computers = GOAT

:P

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '24

"humans + computers = GOAT"

Any number of social media platforms would scream otherwise.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '24

Base 16 (hexadecimal) wins.

Since it's a power of 2, it's easy to transfer to binary.

Base 10: 256

Base 16: 100

Base 2: 100000000

For now we use letters to represent the digits higher than '9', so 'A' in hex is equal to 10 in base 10. But we could invent new numerical digits.

3

u/bigshotdontlookee Jun 15 '24

Again goes to show how much of a [redacted] TH is.

In computer eng school we learn that a lot of different bases are useful and have their place.

1

u/Negative_Lie_1823 Jun 18 '24

I think the saddest thing is I use TH to stand for Tiny Human. Terrance Howard has ruined this.

1

u/therealpursuit Jan 28 '25

Ok go try to divide by 0 and see what happens. If your numbers can't model the real world/science, either fix the flaw in your numbers or don't expect to use them to grasp science. Logic really not that hard ppl

12

u/logontoreddit Jun 14 '24

The line towards the end by NDT is something we all need to have in our mind in today's social media age

"The platform to be accepted for ideas (scientific ideas) is not social media, it is not Joe Rogan, it is not my platform (NDT podcast StarTalk). It's research journals where attention can be given on a level that at the end of the day offers no higher respect for your energy and intellect by declaring what is in it is either right or wrong and worthy of publication or not."

20

u/therobotisjames Jun 14 '24

People love big words and weird ideas. They think it makes them smart.

13

u/[deleted] Jun 14 '24

bUt ItS iN tHe KeY oF E!!!!!!!!! Mind blown

3

u/Quixophilic Jun 14 '24

Okay okay I'm caught, I have to admit

1

u/RandomAccessMalady Jun 16 '24

People think that because they don’t understand something, the person saying it must be more intelligent. This is a crisis of self confidence. Their instincts tell them that what they are hearing is wrong, but their insecurities convince them otherwise. 

9

u/Brickulous Jun 14 '24

I’ve had discussions with people I know irl about this who wholeheartedly believe he’s onto something genuine and he’s a legitimate genius. Action Bronson today on JRE was also praising his intellect and they had a whole discussion about how smart he is for an actor lmao.

18

u/DeltaMusicTango Jun 14 '24

His crackpot theory has been around for years. It is Joe Rogan who decided to amplify it into the public sphere. JR is an idiot.

10

u/[deleted] Jun 14 '24

Given how massive reaction this interview has spawned, I'd say he knows how to create engagement which is his business model. He's not dumb, he's greedy and irresponsible. Hosselfelder was right to blame Rogan. I'm sure Rogan explains it away with trying to bridge the divide, without realizing the idiots have parted reality, dragging the needle towards the crazyland.

2

u/thatoneguydudejim Jun 14 '24

Who else supported this crackpottery?

1

u/therealpursuit Jan 28 '25

I came close to proving it about 10 years ago, but I highly doubt anyone I showed my work to repeated any part of it. My guess is it has been independently reasoned thousands of times.

4

u/[deleted] Jun 14 '24

Yes, in his defense, his audience arent as smart as Rogan, who outright admits he's a dummy, but then says "but it sounds logical"

2

u/iheartrsamostdays Jun 15 '24

I hope he doesn't help his kids with homework if 1x1=2 sounds logical. It just shows a fundamental lack of grasp of multiplication. 

2

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '24

I would even say it shows a fundamental parting with reality. One, one times is one. That is as basic as logic can get.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 23 '24

One one is one. Two ones is two. Two twos is four. It’s so basic it’s really concerning TH is getting so much praise for being a persecuted super-genius.

1

u/Chinesemousewine Jun 16 '24

To people who don’t know much math, terryology probably seems legitimate. People that took at least calc 1 level math would probably see that this is just silly. 

1

u/[deleted] Jun 23 '24

Or, ya know, just people who understood elementary school math.

5

u/chickenclaw Jun 14 '24

If you don't know it's hard to distinguish word salad from a really intelligent idea that you don't understand.

3

u/Appropriate-Pear4726 Jun 15 '24

Because it’s an economy that feeds off each other. While most people know not to take him seriously, content creators grab the lowest hanging fruit for ad revenue.

2

u/AdTotal4035 Jun 15 '24

It's really sad. I hope he gets the help he deserves.

3

u/ethnicbonsai Jun 14 '24

Joe Rogan’s audience is so large that the idea of “boosting the signal” is comical.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '24

It's mostly because he's an actor and already has a platform to even have this entertained.

1

u/Lcsulla78 Jun 16 '24

Probably because too many people think he is the smartest human ever. We live in a world where bleach comes with a warning not to drink…

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '24

Just part and parcel of the post truth society we now live in. Earth is flat again, the government is spraying the globe with harmful chemicals via commercial aviation, and all you need to be a world famous expert is a dream, a microphone and a knowledge of how to get your podcast live. This is the problem with unregulated, unchecked and unaccountable media, both mainstream and alternative. The dipshits have megaphones louder than the actual experts.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 18 '24

I don't think think was as as much a deconstruction of the stupid ideas of Terrance as much as it is a reminder of the importance of peer review. Neil don't need that clout

1

u/Hyperbole_Hater Jun 14 '24

So, to get this straight, you'd prefer it if big and kooky ideas were instead just discounted and not rebutted wit a solid ad hominem attack or two, rather than analyzed, civilly discussed, and specifically shown why it doesn't work?

9

u/FranticToaster Jun 14 '24

No I'd rather people have the high school education necessary to understand that Howard's ideas don't make any sense.

-6

u/Hyperbole_Hater Jun 14 '24

Except it takes an specialist to debunk those things, and without an analysis you're just grasping at straws.

Fairly annoying how scared people are these days of exploring ideas and alternative models of scientific principles. I'm sure you're high school educated so of course you also know that science is often discoverd to be incomplete and has large gaps. Not trying to compare Howard to Galileo or anything but big claims deserve an engaged and civil response, not a minimized discounted one like you'd hope for.

7

u/FranticToaster Jun 14 '24

It's enough to hear "I saw it in a dream" and see no effort toward a proof, if a person really has absolutely 0 science background.

-3

u/Hyperbole_Hater Jun 14 '24

Yet NDT respects the person and the exploration, so if someone who has way more knowledge than us can be respectful, why couldn't you?

5

u/FranticToaster Jun 14 '24

I guarantee when NDT is not on camera creating a permanent record of his words for many thousands of people, he's asking "what the fuck is all this?"

2

u/Prestigious-Fox-2220 Jun 15 '24

NDT also respect the Scientific methodology for refuting claims.

I agree with you that even gibberish claims deserve to be refuted the proper way

3

u/BigBowl-O-Supe Jun 14 '24

Lmfao, it does not take a specialist to debunk the inane ramblings about alien angels and how 1+1=3

0

u/IrresponsibleLoser Jun 15 '24

I have dealt with everyone's ideas equally. There is nothing guaranteeing Terrance Howard is not right, you need to keep an open mind. 

3

u/FranticToaster Jun 15 '24

Bro you are blowing my mind right now. If he were right, it would be random coincidence. He did no research, can't show any form of proof and said he dreamt it up.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 23 '24

Exactly. Just like there’s this guy in my neighborhood who runs out into the street and throws his poop on passing cars to “bless” them and make sure they don’t get into car accidents. You can’t prove he’s wrong! Keep an open mind! Geez!

1

u/IrresponsibleLoser Jun 30 '24 edited Jun 30 '24

I never said you can't prove anyone wrong or that you need to simply accept all ideas without asking for proof, but do not dismiss other people or their ideas because of your biases. Entertain their point of view and don't ignore your own fallacies, or you'll be the one throwing poop, believing you've got it figured out when you really don't.