Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.
 |
| Very Capable Robot. Source: qz.com link below. |
I copied the following three paragraphs from a book. I did that because it says almost exactly what I've been saying for several years now.
The answer is that the successful detectorist is the one who invests a maximum amount of time exploring - he's out there, looking. Beyond that, he actually cares, in a human sense, about nature, because he cares he keeps his eyes open and does his best to understand what he sees and fit it into some kind of conceptual framework. His framework may be totally wrong, but in creating and using it he sharpens his ability to recognize and classify what he sees.
Because he's out there looking, the odds are that he'll eventually stumble over an important clue of one sort or another. Because he's been thinking as well as looking he's apt to recognize that clue for what it is.
Chance, as the historians of science sum it up, favors the prepared mind. The odds are overwhelmingly against the prepared detectorist making any particular discovery... but it's a forgone conclusion that he'll discover something.
If you remember my formula for success, time on task is one of the top two determining factors. That isn't too surprising, but time isn't the only factor, and the above paragraphs make that clear. Time by itself isn't enough. There is also careful attention, or looking, and thinking.
By trying to figure things out and put it all into a theory, even though your theory might not be totally accurate, it, as the other author says, "sharpens your ability to recognize and classify." When you have a theory, observations either fit in or they don't. When they don't, you have to take that into a account somehow, and that can mean improving your theory.
I actually played a little trick. The excerpts were written about the successful scientist - not detectorist. I just changed a few words.
Here are the paragraphs as they appeared in the book. The red words are the only words that I changed. Basically, I changed the word "scientist" to "detectorist."
The answer is that the successful scientist is the one who invests a maximum amount of time exploring the branch of nature he's studying - he's out there, looking. Beyond that, he actually cares, in a human sense, about nature, because he cares he keeps his eyes open and does his best to understand what he sees and fit it into some kind of conceptual framework. His framework may be totally wrong, but in creating and using it he sharpens his ability to recognize and classify what he sees.
Because he's out there looking, the odds are that he'll eventually stumble over an important clue of one sort or another. Because he's been thinking as well as looking he's apt to recognize that clue for what it is.
Chance, as the historians of science sum it up, favors the prepared mind. The odds are overwhelmingly against the prepared scientist making any particular discovery... but it's a forgone conclusion that he'll discover something.
Discoveries are discoveries and successful people are successful people. Most of the same things apply, whether it is science or treasure hunting.
There was one more thing that I found in this book that helps me say something I've tried to say in the past. There is a difference between knowing something and really knowing that thing.
The author of the book I took the paragraphs from, Jon Franklin, used the example of E=MC squared. That is something that everybody has heard, and they might even say they knew that, but what the heck does it really mean? Not so many people can tell you what it really means. And not too many people really understand it.
When you see a statement that is boiled down into a simple clear statement, people will usually say, "I knew that," but that doesn't mean they really understand it, recognize it when they see it in the field, and know how to use it. There is a vast difference between feeling like you know something and really understanding it. For it to be of much use you have to understand it enough that you can recognize it at work in nature and then make use of it. What might appear obvious, might also have a much deeper significance and value.
The next time you hear something that seems obvious, you might ask yourself if you really understand it and all of the implications. Ask yourself if you have applied or tested all the implications in the field.
---
You will know that we are in trouble when the robots start taking selfies.
Here is a good article for keeping up with technology (See top photo).
https://qz.com/1234822/inside-amazon-ceo-jeff-bezos-private-mars-conference-for-a-new-golden-age/
---
The 3/10 post showing a short video of the Garrett Ace 250 and how it responded to three different one-cent coins was the most popular post of the month. I wasn't expecting that. Maybe I should make more videos.
---
The weather has been beautiful for being outdoors. And the surf has been small and easy to work.
It looks like next week the surf will increase again. Maybe that will help.
Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net
