[lit-ideas] Re: math question
- From: "Adriano Palma" <Palma@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:36:48 +0200
** Low Priority **
** Reply Requested by 4/9/2012 (Monday) **
It is not a dissertation, it PM By Whitehead & Russell
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>>> Omar Kusturica <omarkusto@xxxxxxxxx> 09/04/2012 06:19 PM >>>
I understand that someone once wrote a Ph.D. dissertation in
mathematics to prove that 2+2=4 and that he managed to prove it at
length. I don't know any details though.
In Orwell's 1984, the proposition is treated as an example of something
that is self-evidently true.
O.K.
From: Adriano Palma <Palma@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, April 9, 2012 6:13 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: math question
Paul Stone has a nice way of putting a simple, elementary point.
There is no "use" in asking "why is there an infinity of primes" or
"why are there infinitely many perfects?" (note before the idiots
scream, it is not known whether there are infinitely many perfects, for
those who forgot their school,
6 and 28 are perfect, 27 is not perfect, while 313 and 317 are
prime.....)
there is no way. once discovered, it is a fact.
I take it to be the highest point if idiocy to ask "why" earth has one
planet or why English does not have phonetic clicks.
There are some facts, a subset of those, are mathematical facts.
Any form of Sokal game cuts no ice whatsoever, if you found that
contrary to true belief there is the largest prime, show it.
best regards
>>> Paul Stone <pastone@xxxxxxxxx> 09/04/2012 06:01 PM >>>
I have to agree with Adriano... there is nothing mysterious, or even
explainable about mathematics. It just IS! You can tell me WHY 2+2=4
REALLY. Except to describe the fact that it does.
just my 1+1 cents.
p
On Mon, Apr 9, 2012 at 2:15 AM, Adriano Palma <Palma@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
the sequence has nothing surprising (take a look at terry tao's work if
you like surprises)
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>>> Julie Krueger <juliereneb@xxxxxxxxx> 09/04/2012 01:19 AM >>>
So from all this I take it that no one can, in fact, explain the why of
the math sequence?
Julie Krueger
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