In politics, religion and other areas of culture, people disagree on the worth of competing ideas. There is no equivalent to the scientific method that can determine in a robust way which ideas match the real world, and which ones can be ruled out. So conflicting ideologies persist indefinitely. Nathan Myhrvold Read Quote
Politicians don’t like to face unpleasant realities. In truth, nobody does, but as individuals, we have no choice; if we neglect to plan ahead, we are held accountable. Fail to meet your responsibilities at work, and you get fired. Ignore your car’s gas gauge, and you get stranded. Nathan Myhrvold Read Quote
Cooking is an art, but all art requires knowing something about the techniques and materials. Using modernist techniques, you get more control, and that allows you to be more artistic, not less! Nathan Myhrvold Read Quote
We collectively have a special place in our heart for the manned space flight program – Apollo nostalgia is one element, but that is only part of it. American culture worships explorers – look at the fame of Lewis and Clark, for example. The American people want to think of themselves as supporting exploration. Nathan Myhrvold Read Quote
Elections, for their part, are typically popularity contests rather than measures of candidates’ relative competency or effectiveness. Imagine if scientific truth were determined according to which scientist was most popular. To be successful, scientists would have to be charismatic and attractive – and human knowledge would suffer terribly. Nathan Myhrvold Read Quote
The simplest fix for better grilling is to line the inside of your barbecue with tin foil. It dramatically affects how evenly the heat is distributed. That crusty black hibachi or Weber grill is doing your food no favors. Nathan Myhrvold Read Quote
