TED Community » Brandon Santangelo

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• TEDCred score: +1.80 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• A reply on Conversation: Truths and Facts. Does Science prove anything?

  Jun 3 2013: Haha, you are correct. I'm attempting to address the point that you can get consistent results if you have constant variables, that things are not random and thus can be proved or disproved.
  Thanks for mentioning that, if I wanna make a valid point it's important to have correct information!
  ( Notice I made a slight edit.)

• A comment on Conversation: Human history is a history of conflict and misunderstanding. Will it ever stop?

  May 31 2013: Human's are animals. We have instincts, breed and form populations.
  We're advanced enough to do incredible things inside of our civilizations, yet we can not cease our populations from wanting to mass murder each other in the name of one thing or another. Most long-lived nations and leaders claim to have the intentions of peace and prosperity, yet end up spilling blood of the innocent. Only fools stray from the path yet still expect to arrive at the same destination. A great leader is one who does no harm to those who have done no harm. Whether they be his neighbor or live on the other side of earth.
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  A comment on Conversation: Evolution: "just a theory". Scientific caution is sometimes confusing.

  May 31 2013: Well you can actually observe the founder effect and bacterial evolution take place. The only theory is that speciation occurred in the past, and is only a theory because you can't go back in time and watch it happen.
  But understand, biology is infinitely complex, and the conclusion that life began when a body of matter that was able reproduce itself with chemical reactions and evolved into organisms that can feel is a fairly new concept in science. If you don't understand chemistry this is a pretty radical idea. You can't expect everyone to accept it, only those curious enough to care..
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  A comment on Conversation: Truths and Facts. Does Science prove anything?

  May 31 2013: "Is there an absolutely proven scientific fact?"
  An obscure question at first glance, but the more I think about it the more valid it seems to become.
  For the sake of keeping things relevant I'm interpreting the question as "Can the scientific method prove anything?"
  The scientific method works in the sense that it may help determine a proximate cause. For example "Why does water boil?" You can use the scientific method to determine that pure water boils once it reaches the temperature of 100 degrees celsius at 1 atmospheric pressure. Yet that only leads to another question "Why does water boil at 100 degrees celsius at?" Once again, with the use of (A much more complex) scientific method you can conclude "It does this because it takes the energy of 100 degrees Celsius to break all of the hydrogen bonds in the water." Once again you can continue to ask "Why do all of the hydrogen bonds break with the energy of 100 degrees Celsius?" And so on...
  
  It seems the flaw with the modern scientific method is that it works like a chain (or something with more variables like a pyramid, house of cards, ect..)
  Scientific knowledge builds upon itself using previously obtained knowledge. If a presumption previously concurred with the same method is proved wrong, then all facts which depend on that now disproven conclusion lose all credibility as well.
  
  However observed results are indeed logically factual information. If an experiment can be repeated, get the same results and never fail, then it's as much a fact as a mathematical equation. To claim that it's not a scientific fact that water boils at 100 degrees is like claiming 2+2 does not = 4.
  Then again, this all depends on the first and most natural assumption that the logic cultivated by the human mind is flawless and truthful. And honestly, I don't know how the scientific method could address that question.

• A comment on Conversation: What is the goal of education?

  Nov 4 2011: Education is obviously as a whole directed toward the defeat of ignorance in young blooming minds, however I do agree that the newer complex system of higher level classes and college acceptance can completely misguide students. Basic education is different from the more complex styles of learning American schools adapt commonly between 11th and 12th grade.

• A comment on Conversation: Does humanity have a purpose?

  Oct 5 2011: I believe Humanity must create its own purpose. We have all been born with the gift of being the most intelligent creature on our planet and with this gift comes great responsibility. ( Thank you Uncle Ben )
  Responsibility to make the most out of our species evolutionary advantages over the other life forms whom share the planet with. I believe that it is in the best interest of all of life as we know it for the human race to attempt to move forward as one species for the advancement of life.
  As far as we know, which probably isn't much, life is a very young thing in this universe. Human life has existed for only a blink of an eye when compared to the timeline of the universe. It seems that evolution strives to create more complex and intelligent forms of life, being this I believe that yes, evolution has an obvious purpose, in fact its the word it self.
  Every form of life's purpose is to evolve into a better, well rounded life form. Organisms such as ourselves work as the senses of evolution, constantly using trial and error to help our species evolve. This takes place in every single bit of unique DNA we have. Acknowledging this we can see that there is a natural force in this universe that pushes for advancement and does it rather amazingly fast on a universal time line.
  The real question is for what purpose does life have once it is fully evolved? Can evolution ever create a single perfect life form? Could evolution create Gods?
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  A reply on Talk: Eve Ensler: Suddenly, my body

  Oct 4 2011: Thank you for the kind words and I am glad I inspired you to join TED!
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  A reply on Talk: Eve Ensler: Suddenly, my body

  Sep 28 2011: I do not think that just because she uses her own struggle as a metaphor, comparing it to the struggle of the rest of the world, makes her in anyway self obsessed. It seems as if you just did not relate to the feminine feelings described and are just looking for reasons to discredit her.
  To be completely honest I didn't even like the talk. As a 15 year old boy the things she describes in explicit detail are too much for me and I too have a hard time relating to any of this, but that does not mean its wrong in anyway to talk about it. I realize that things like this do happen and people like Eve choose not to ignore them and to instead embrace the disturbed feelings you get from hearing about them to make sure you really do know and feel what is she knows is going on.
  She's describing the pain she and others went through while incorporating the points she'd like to make in her talk. You're ranting on about how a rape victim with cancer is self obsessed for talking about her personal struggles. Your comments where not removed because they where "negative" but because they where ignorant.

• A comment on Conversation: Is human's ability to "Think" really a benefit for the only planet with life!!!

  Sep 27 2011: To be completely honest I believe your question is misguided. You seem to be asking "Why does only the human race have the ability to conceive complex thought" and the answer can be answered quite simply. Chimps and other primates are capable of some complex thought, millions of years of evolution away from being philosophers may i mind you, but still on their way.
  Other animals can indeed think. Our brains can comprehend much more because we basically have the same brain structures as other animals only more complex. Everything we think and do are chemical reactions, just like other animals. We just have a lot more reactions going on at once.
  The ability of complex thought or "thinking" as you put it, is only a evolutionary trait that the human race seems to be the first to acquire. I encourage you to not let religious beliefs misguide you, especially in the field of science.
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  A reply on Conversation: Super Gravity Theory

  Sep 27 2011: Instead of just being rude you could offer some incite, seeing as how you know oh so much...
  
  This question seems to be directed toward string theory...which to my knowlage would make the question make perfect sense.
  If the Earth has gravity due to is massive mass a(being a planet) Then if you made a sphere the size of a planet and put it in space then I assume yes, it would have its own gravitational pull. But I do not believe its rotation has any effect with the gravitational pull, in fact to my knowledge isn't that just an effect of another masses (the sun) gravity on the earth?