[meteorite-list] 2003 UB313 Reignites a Planet-Sized Debate

From: MexicoDoug_at_aol.com <MexicoDoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Feb 7 17:46:33 2006
Message-ID: <1a4.47ddbcb1.311a7d42_at_aol.com>

Chris P. wrote:

<< no matter how the IAU defines "planet", the
 vast majority of the lay public will continue to use the term as I defined
 it above, meaning that when scientists use >>

I heartily second your proposal Chris on the grounds that scientists, if you
could call bureaucrats that, are light years out of their jurisdiction when
they try to solve an answer which never quite found the problem it is supposed
to solve. If anyone actually hijacks the meaning of the world planet from the
will of the people, to limit its use in the name of pseudoscience or to force
work to be easier on a lexographer, I would personally reject that broadly.
Over zealous lumper and splitter taxonomists in many sciences trying to
speciate subjective messes beyond any conceivable scientific use should go out and
discover an asteroid or something if they really want to make a name for
themselves...not shove down the public's throat what the public already knows. 2
centavos worth. And Vesta is a Planet btw:), at least in the eyes of many
beholders...

Saludos, Doug
Received on Tue 07 Feb 2006 05:46:26 PM PST