From: FredJeffries on
On Feb 12, 3:48 pm, Transfer Principle <lwal...(a)lausd.net> wrote:
> On Feb 10, 4:56 am, FredJeffries <fredjeffr...(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > On Feb 9, 2:01 pm, Transfer Principle <lwal...(a)lausd.net> wrote:
> > <snip />
> > >  the standard theorist Jeffries
> > That you consider Fred Jeffries a standard theorist does not say much
> > for your method of classification.
>
> In the past few days, there have been several more objections to
> my use of the phrase "standard theorist."
>
> I came up with the name "standard theorist" when many posters
> objected to the name "Cantorian" (which was invented by several
> so-called "cranks" who opposed Cantor or ZFC). But the name
> "standard theorist" is still apparently objectionable.

Oh, I couldn't care less how you classify me in your tiresome schema.
I just object that it might give the impression that I am a logician
or a mathematician.

I do so wish that you would use some kind of prefix scheme to your
posts so I could tell which ones are whining about the crank issue and
which actually have some content about finitism (which I thought you
were interested in).
From: MoeBlee on
On Feb 12, 7:25 pm, Transfer Principle <lwal...(a)lausd.net> wrote:
> On Feb 12, 4:43 pm, MoeBlee <jazzm...(a)hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > On Feb 12, 5:48 pm, Transfer Principle <lwal...(a)lausd.net> wrote:
> > >  their opinion that only they [the standard theorists, as opposed
> > > to the "cranks"] are actually doing mathematics

To be clear, I responded to:

"their opinion that only they are actually doing mathematics" . The
part about "as opposed to the "cranks"" is now added by you.

> > Who has stated that opinion?
>
> Many have expressed the opinion of the years that what their
> opponents are doing isn't mathematics.

Of course. But my response was to your original claim that these
people ("standard theorists", whatever) say that only the mathematics
they are doing is mathematics. That, of course, is silly, since one
may very well say that what certain people (such as cranks) do is not
mathematics without thereby saying that nothing except what one does
himself is mathematics.

> I'm trying to find
> a
> replacement term for "standard theorist,"

You've mentioned such things as 'anti-crank'. Personally, I prefer
'crankbuster'.

> The standard theorists would love

While you claim I'm a standard theorist, would you please not presume
to speak for me as to what I would or would not love.

MoeBlee


From: MoeBlee on
On Feb 13, 8:15 am, Aatu Koskensilta <aatu.koskensi...(a)uta.fi> wrote:

> they're simply people whose
> idea of a good time is hectoring people who peddle bizarre ideas in
> news, endlessly citing boring formal arcana at them, hitting the poor
> sobs on the head with elementary technicalities, calling them names,
> pushing their buttons, trying to make them fly off the handle,
> ostentatiously parading their erudition for all to see and marvel
> at.

I at least aspire to it!

MoeBlee

From: Tonico on
On Feb 13, 4:51 am, Transfer Principle <lwal...(a)lausd.net> wrote:
> On Feb 12, 5:42 pm, Nam Nguyen <namducngu...(a)shaw.ca> wrote:
>
> > Transfer Principle wrote:
> > > So I was hoping to find a phrase other than "standard theorist" that
> > > MoeBlee and others would find less objectionable.
> > AK seemed to have used the term "conformist", "orthodox"
>
> Interesting idea. I might consider using either of Aatu's terms.
>
> > [You] seem to have applied different definitions of same same word to
> > different people at different times.
>
> My definition of "crank" is always evolving. Whenever several posters
> criticize my definition of "crank," I try to re-analyze my definition
> of
> "crank" in order to come up with a more satisfactory definition.
>
> Case in point: Originally I called Y-V a "crank." After several
> posters
> complained, they convinced me that Y-V isn't a "crank." So now I
> don't consider Y-V to be a "crank" anymore.


Is that nice of you or what! I bet Y-V was dear worried, as were all
the rest of mathematicians around this thread/this forum/this planet,
about what you consider or what you consider not, specially regarding
crankhood...;)

Tonio
From: FF on
On Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:40:00 -0800 (PST), Tonico wrote:

>>> Transfer Principle wrote:
>>>>
>>>> So I was hoping to find a phrase other than "standard theorist" that
>>>> MoeBlee and others would find less objectionable.

How about "classical mathematician"? Then there are intuitionists,
finitists, etc. But NONE of the latter may be considered a _crank_ (just
for not being a _classical_ mathematician). The other was round, NONE of
the well know Usenet cranks is a representative of non-classical math.

FF