Andrea Rossi's early funding (pre-IH)

1st Official Post

    For those who may be new to the E-cat story, it might be interesting to review Andrea Rossi's pre-IH involvement in LENR and funding sources. Here is a link http://newenergytimes.com/v2/s…ECat/RossisPartners.shtml (presumably before the failed Steve Krivit demo) which indicates that he sold one of his companies (Eon, SRL which develops and sells biofueled powered diesel generators) for one million euros in 2008 in order to fund his research. I remember reading about this at the time. Here is another link http://pesn.com/2011/05/17/950…rgy_Catalyzer_in_America/ which indicates that earlier he sold his stake in another company (Leonardo Technologies Inc, or LTI) in 2001 and used the proceeds to work on LENR.


    I note that if true, this information suggests that Rossi is less of a "scam-artist" and more likely a (perhaps deluded) "true-believer" in his technology, since he invested a significant amount of his own money for many years in this endeavour.


    On the other hand, as Abd and Jed has suggested, perhaps he is merely "insane"?


    In any case, it would be interesting to obtain more information and/or confirmation of the two claims above.

    Quote from quizzical

    On the other hand, as Abd and Jed has suggested, perhaps he is merely "insane"?

    The "insane" hypothesis represents a speculation that his behavior might not be rational. It doesn't mean that any specific idea of his is false or deluded, but that such is possible. The insanity idea could allow him to have some real results, some fake results, and that he might believe in his own results as "good" even if he, were he sane, would know that they are not. It might cause him to do any of many unpredictable things. It actually allows me to have a somewhat more positive idea of Rossi than without it. Without the "insanity defense" his behavior is so odd that suspicions of wilfull fraud and fakery are easy. With that defense -- compounded with some understanding of psychology and how paranoia works -- he merely becomes unreliable, but he could still establish anything if he will stop rejecting critique as "clownery" and allow independent mediation. The simplest move would probably be to identify trustworthy counselors. Including lawyers.

    • Official Post

    Most people have good "reasons" to act, but this is not always rational.


    Note also that missing data may make you think something is unreasonable, or irrational, while it is just smart.


    Anyway, if you have the choice between malice and stupidity, start by considering stupidity. My experience is that highest stupidity is when you think you are smarter.


    NB: I'm not immune to stupidity, but I try to correct after detection.

    There would be some funding from his previous licensees. If true that he sold his house and previous (let's presume successful) business, then that would be evidence against fraud at the time. Someone who works to spin everything in a positive light towards a goal will use everything to bolster the position. Many people sell their houses and can give any subjective reason to others that they wish. So a person can say they sold their house to fund their E-cat project, but maybe they were out of money or had other reasons. Who can know? It is a complicated story which may even involve some true early positive results, deliberate fraud, and self-deception. I'm seeing little in the current situation pointing away from deliberate deception.


    Just a small note about insanity. Insanity is a legal defense in criminal cases which states essentially that a mental disease or defect leaves the person unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of their behavior at the time of an alleged offense. Probably what most people mean when colloquially refering to insanity is delusional, but they are not the same thing. Statistically, the insanity plea almost never works (less than 1% of the times in which it is raised).

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