AG here, based on his examples, seems to mean that the best science undercuts peoples’ faith in their beliefs, thereby annoying them deeply. I’m sure that’s true but I haven’t noticed it myself. What I notice is when, for example, some observer tells some theorist that no, in fact the universe isn’t coasting along slowly, it’s tearing around with its hair on fire, and I feel a spike of deep, anarchic joy. Probably that’s what AG means too.
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http://abstrusegoose.com/47
“Deep, anarchic joy”. Been there.
This novice theorist observes humans tearing around with their hair on fire at least I see it as expodentially increasing. (And it’s certainly pissing me off!)