The Journal of Empiricism

When I used to work at the UK Meteorological Office, I was often in their library when work permitted. That was in the old building in Bracknell, a building which no longer exists. One of my favourite reads was The Meteorological Magazine, which was devoted solely to reporting interesting observations, like the early journals of the Royal Society in the time of Newton and Hooke. I loved reading that because the anomalies gave me something to think about: a large water spout was seen near Bali, St Elmo's fire in the Sargasso Sea, a freshwater layer on the ocean, made it hard for boats to make way... Here were genuine phenomena, mysteries that no-one had ever solved, and maybe I could solve them?!

By the time I found it and had read a few articles I distinctly remember asking at the desk for the more recent issues and I can still remember my disappointment when Yunus the friendly librarian told me apologetically it had been discontinued in 1994.

By that time anomalies were becoming undervalued, and this was part of a decline that has occurred throughout science. Technically we have better observations than ever, but what good are they if the latest compulsory solution is enforced on the subject from above for reasons of social control (climate), profit (medicine) or the furthering of existing research programs? (strings, dark matter).

So, in 1994 The Meteorological Magazine was closed down, and it was replaced by the business-like Meteorological Applications. The same thing has happened in wider physics, but to reinvigorate the field at a deep level what we should do is to make a new journal like those of the early Royal Society. Allow those good at observing to publish freely without forcing them to fudge a solution, and allow those who love to ponder deeply to freely publish their suggested solutions. First look, then think. The old symbiosis would return and we'd advance far faster.

JoE: the Journal of Empiricism?

PS: If you like this please come over and support me (£3/month, or more if you can) at patreon. It makes possible my independent research program: https://www.patreon.com/OneSteptoTauCeti