Dear Professor Pelosi, Associate Editor,

You can only publish "Conflation" as it stands, because the authors' reply is to it as it stands. It cannot be altered. http://www.ivorcatt.co.uk/x59b1.htm

I note that you and the authors are all three in the same department of Florence University, and you also have published on what you and they call "Catt's anomaly". http://www.ivorcatt.co.uk/x59v.pdf

You will of course continue to "ensure proper standards of communication and collegiality. – G Pelosi"  http://www.ivorcatt.co.uk/x5cz2.htm

Ivor Catt 23 July 2016

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*Response to Dr. Catt***************

We confirm our explanations of “The Catt Question” published in IEEE AP Magazine (Vol. 54, No. 6, pp. 242-244, December 2012) and Physical Education (Vol. 48, No.6, p. 718, 2013). There may be differing or opposing opinions; we do not see a problem if such differences exist as long as they are backed by scientific justification. Practice of Science is not based on the principle of authority, but on plausibility of argumentations, experimental evidence, and on the consensus of the scientific community expressed by the peer-review process. Dr. Catt disputes the mathematical explanation we provided, naming it “arcane” and asking to focus on the “stark reality,” but quantitative analyses, based on experimentally verified and generally accepted mathematical theories, is indeed the main tool we have to understand reality, as the last five centuries of scientific achievements have largely demonstrated.

M. Pieraccini and S. Selleri DINFO – University of Florence, Italy 20 May 2015

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Associate Editor [Palosi] Comments to Author:

Dear Dr. Catt,

Concerning your letter to the Editor regarding a 2012 paper that appeared in this magazine, I encourage you to revise your letter by being more precise but brief on the point of discussion, that is your question, rather than on the fact that you had few and contradictory replies. Please also use standard terms or, rather, define the uncommon ones (like 'westerns' and 'southerns').

I must also ask you not to use terms that might be interpreted as demeaning of others. Those you quote in the fourth paragraph as referring to you were not.

I would be grateful if you could also add your full current affiliation in your signature.


Editor Comments to Author:
I reserve the right to edit the final version of all submitted letters, without changing the substance of content, to ensure proper standards of communication and collegiality.