In article , Rob
wrote:


Perhaps this 'bond' is unique to JL's experience. Mine is that academic
conferences split into at least three camps. Most of the time it's quite
cordial. Things usually hot up in the evening bar sessions :-)

I've certainly taken part in some 'enthusiastic' arguments at bars at
various conferences and in physics depts. However these have always been
congenial, and those involved understood what they were talking about,
hence did not take arguments out context or think that questioning a
comment and asking for the evidence for a claim was casting any doubts
about the person who made it.

They also involved people who clearly understood the distinctions such as
that between 'evidence' and 'proof', and who took as basic that claims
should be assessed on evidence, not opinion.

Slainte,

Jim

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