On: Many scientists see fusion as the future of energy

[mmazing]

I wonder how many people said the same thing about airplanes, or electricity, or any of the countless other amazing things we have accomplished as a species.

Maybe the current trajectory of fusion is unlikely to bear fruit, but we'll learn from it. We may learn something that makes it far easier to implement. A discovery here or there and you change trajectory to something that IS worthwhile.

If you never try, you never get there, you can't see that?

[ncmncm → mmazing]

If you do try, you never get there. But you also never get to the other thing that actually has some prospect of working.

Look up "opportunity cost", "sunk cost fallacy", and "good money after bad".

Victorians believed in fairies, very strongly. Their heirs believe as strongly in fusion energy.

[Apocryphon → ncmncm]

Arthur Conan Doyle believed in fairies. Then those who believe in fusion are in good company.

[ncmncm → Apocryphon]

If by "good company" you mean bad company, sure.

[Apocryphon → ncmncm]

A Moriarty man, I see.