Seriously, stop calling it the "God Particle"

[YouEatLard]

It's just a name, kinda like dark matter. It's a way of saying we have no idea what it is or if it's really there, be we think it's important.

Once god is applied to anything, even in name, there is pretty much no way take it back.

 

[Roybot]

I love science, but it feels like a comic book series I could never get into because of so much continuity issues (theorums, formulas, postulates, etc.) that I need in order to understand full the subjects within it. I remember hearing about the Higgs Boson when they talked about particle acceleration in Physics during my high school years circa 2004. From there I remember reading articles about "the God Particle" and they never seemed to have the concepts overlap. Imagine my shock when I found out they were one and the same. Maybe this lapse in terminology recognition has to do with the sources from where the general public gathers their information.


The shift needs to occur in journalism, holding them accountable to actual objectivism rather than trying to sell a paper with flowery slogans.

 

[siahsargus]

Never heard it called that - but I see what you're saying.

I think that the term 'God particle' is a bit self-conflicting, mixing religious and scientific terminology together.

That's like calling gravity the 'Christ force'

Christ Force is awesome!

This is blasphemy! We all know that gravity is the result of the Flying Spaghetti Monster pushing us down gently with his noodly appendage!

Screw it, that's an awesome name. From now on gravity will be referred to as Christ Force!

 

[AssassinFisH]

Religion has nothing to do with it. I think the God particle is a brilliant nickname, especially as it would be one of the most significant discoverys of all time.

 

[coolkirb]

all good religious people know that god does not exists in the shadows science has yet failed to iluminate, it is not a god of the gaps, you can believe in science and be religious, and people of both sides who see that as not possible.......well I weep for you

 

[Spencer Petersen]

Its similar to how referring to Climate change as global warming hays invited a lot of non-informed ass-hats to take a side on the issue because "hey man its snowing, that disproves global warming." It only takes about 3 seconds to explain why that is but it really chaps my ass how people can draw a conclusion and have an opinion because of a knee-jerk reaction to a nickname.

 

[Locko96]

Shit! You got your religion in my science!

OT: Higgs-Boson for me. There's really no point in trying to relate a particle to a religious concept.

I also think it's fucking awesome that someone that works at the LHC comes to this site.

 

[Tim Mazzola]

... So it's basically Mass Effect?

 

[Nuke_em_05]

I think the problem is more the person you're having the conversation with. "God particle" was actually coined by a Nobel Prize in Physics winner; Leon Max Lederman. The etymology adds up: "god" is used to explain existence, the Higgs Boson would go a long way to explain existence (though not as comprehensively as "god particle" would imply).

I can see the problem in "god particle" implying it is more important than it is. The other problem is extremist religious people who would take it to mean that scientists consider it as a substitute deity, proof of no God. This is the problem you came across.

Many Christians don't understand that science is simply out to explain how the universe works. This doesn't mean to prove or disprove God. Science observes the universe and tries to explain it based on those observations. Knowing how the universe works doesn't necessarily discredit any creator. A Christian could see science as simply explaining how God did it.

I am a Christian and that is how I view it. The "Creation Story" in Genesis is just that, a story. The important part is God is responsible for existence as we know it, not how he did it.

 

[zehydra]

It's just a name. The name wasn't at fault in this conversation, your friend was.

In any case, I have my doubts the Higgs Boson exists anyway.

 

[i7omahawki]

I'd never heard the Higgs-Boson referred to as the 'God Particle' so I guess your wish came true.

Here's an idea, find an insignificant particle/compound/cell/cluster in space and call it the 'God Particle', with some minute connection found between the name and the object. Then journalists will be forced to refer to the Higgs-Boson rather than God Particle because it will clash and cause confusion.

Problem solved I think, now go find something insignificant.

 

[thejackyl]

Hmmm... Whats worse? Someone referring to it as the "God Particle", or someone actually thinking that this will disprove the existence of God.

He was actually bragging to me that "Soon I will be able to go around and laugh in everyone's face because we proved God doesn't exist."
"No, we didn't."
"Not yet."
"It's still not going to prove anything."
"How so?"
"Do you even know what they're researching?"
"..."
"Besides, it's pretty much impossible to disprove God."
"Oh really?" (typed out o rly)
"The only people who will ever know are already dead."
"That's not my point."

Why am I friends with this guy again?

 

[OmniscientOstrich]

I've only heard it being referred to as Higgs Boson not 'The God particle.' And that name in itself is so vague, I wonder why people read so deeply into it and automatically assume that a scientific study pertaining to the inception of the Universe is trying to disprove religion and the existence of a deity. Sure, Fundamentalists who think the world is only thousands of years old will undoubtedly have a problem with it, but then again, they're mental. Still I don't understand why non-fundamentalist religious people would feel threatened by this. The Big Bang theory does not disprove God in itself and you could still argue that a deity(s) was responsible for it. Science is irrelevant to religion unless a theory directly contradicts something in that religions philosophy and the scientific community is made up of people with a wide variety of various religious/spiritual beliefs. They're not out to get you, so stop being so paranoid.

 

[jamesbrown]

The "god" part of that phrase is only to explain its signifigance; that is it.

I don't have time to read every single post. But I am sure there is a debate about chirstianity on here. (There are more than one religon people) and as far as I can tell religon and science are adressing two completely differnet promblems and to associate themis like mixing oil and water then proclaiming that you can't drink your water, when you were the one to mix them in the first place. science says how and religon says why and the christian holy text "gensis" is simply suppelemental to say that god created the universe. seriously if your going to focus on somthing in christianity focus on the thing that makes it CHRISTIAN; not some lego in death star that is christianity http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/toys/detail-page/B000FTXNRI-1-lg.jpg.

 

[Charli]

Mmm nope never heard it called that...

It's always been the Higgs Boson particle. Naming something "The God-" anything is just asking for it.

 

[Tratchet]

I'm kind of torn on the subject. On the one hand, the God Particle is much more catchy than the Higgs Boson, and will attract many more people. The guy on that bus would not have been interested in CERN at all if the Higgs Boson had never been called the God Particle, and even though he was arguably interested for the wrong reasons he is still someone who is a little more informed who would otherwise not be. I'll admit the first time that I read about the Higgs Boson the thing that grabbed me was that it was called the God Particle, and I have a degree in physics (if just a bachelor).

On the other hand the name is extremely inaccurate, and I can see why that bugs a lot of physicists. Basically the question is, do the pros of increased public awareness outweigh the cons of inaccuracy and confusion over what the Higgs Boson actually is? I think... probably.

 

[Valkyrie101]

Fairly sure it's because, in giving mass to particles, it is an essential component of existence and underpins absolutely everything in physics, which in turn underpins absolutely everything else. It's pivotal for the world as we know it, hence 'God particle'. It has nothing to do with God or religion whatsoever, though, and will have no bearing on religious belief or lack thereof.

 

[health-bar]

Kill the unbeliever!

He dares to mock the god of science!

 

[Agow95]

I think that "God Particle" is an ok name, if you understand that it's not about religion but the scientific impact it could have, if it turns out to be non-existant then a few laws of physics that partially rely on it's existance will have to re-written, but that's still isn't bad because then we can focus on new stuff

 

[ShindoL Shill]

ive heard it called the god particle once. in angels and demons i believe...