Is _Brave New World_ really science fiction?
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From: Jesse F. Hughes on 8 Apr 2010 20:25 Transfer Principle <lwalke3(a)lausd.net> writes: > On Apr 7, 8:38 pm, "Jesse F. Hughes" <je...(a)phiwumbda.org> wrote: >> Transfer Principle <lwal...(a)lausd.net> writes: >> > I like the name "discrete mathematicians" -- it certainly >> > sounds much better than "cranks." Some "cranks" who might be >> > described as "discrete mathematicians" include HdB and RE, >> > both of whom have criticized Infinity. Those posters who >> > believe in a smallest real number, such as AP and MR, may be >> > included with the "discrete mathematicians" as well. >> AP and Mitch are clearly not mathematicians in any sense at all, discrete >> or otherwise. >> I don't recall Han or Russell Easterly speaking on any topics in >> discrete mathematics, either. > > OK then -- AP is a discrete _physicist_[...] I gotta say, you're a pretty funny guy sometimes. > while HdB is a discrete _computer_scientist_. Actually, most > computer scientists actually work with discrete subsets of R, not > the continuous set R, due to the finite nature of how numbers are > stored in a computer's memory. > >> The term "discrete mathematician" means something already, you know. > > ...as in a "discrete" set like Z, as compared to a "continuous" set > such as R. > > Now some posters don't accept the Axiom of Infinity, or for some > other reason prefer to work with discrete objects rather than > continuous objects. Some of the posters wouldn't mind working with > a discrete calculus, either for themselves or in order to answer > the standard theorist naysayers who insist that one can't do > calculus or math for the sciences in their theories. > >> I can't see why you think it's reasonable to abuse it so. > > Standard theorists abuse the word "crank" all the time. There > must be a name other than "crank" to call these posters who would > prefer discete mathematics to classical mathematics. Calling Archimedes Plutonium a crank is certainly *not* an abuse of the term. AP is almost the archetype itself. -- Conservative, n: A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal who wishes to replace them with others. -- Ambrose Bierce
From: Rotwang on 8 Apr 2010 20:36 Transfer Principle wrote: > On Apr 7, 8:38 pm, "Jesse F. Hughes" <je...(a)phiwumbda.org> wrote: >> >> [...] >> >> AP and Mitch are clearly not mathematicians in any sense at all, discrete >> or otherwise. > > OK then -- AP is a discrete _physicist_, No. > [...] > > Standard theorists abuse the word "crank" all the time. There > must be a name other than "crank" to call these posters who would > prefer discete mathematics to classical mathematics. Do you imagine that discrete mathematics is somehow distinct from classical mathematics?
From: Jesse F. Hughes on 8 Apr 2010 20:57 Rotwang <sg552(a)hotmail.co.uk> writes: > Transfer Principle wrote: >> On Apr 7, 8:38 pm, "Jesse F. Hughes" <je...(a)phiwumbda.org> wrote: >>> >>> [...] >>> >>> AP and Mitch are clearly not mathematicians in any sense at all, discrete >>> or otherwise. >> >> OK then -- AP is a discrete _physicist_, > > No. > > >> [...] >> >> Standard theorists abuse the word "crank" all the time. There >> must be a name other than "crank" to call these posters who would >> prefer discete mathematics to classical mathematics. > > Do you imagine that discrete mathematics is somehow distinct from > classical mathematics? Of course. People that work in discrete mathematics object to continuous mathematics. Duh. -- "Many argue that its programmers have turned out shoddy programs, but [their] objective is to make profit, not superlative programs per se. By the profit criterion, Microsoft has been one of the greatest companies in the history of this country." -- ADTI defends Microsoft
From: Marshall on 8 Apr 2010 22:07 On Apr 8, 4:38 pm, Transfer Principle <lwal...(a)lausd.net> wrote: > > Standard theorists abuse the word "crank" all the time. It's a perfectly cromulent word. Marshall
From: Marshall on 8 Apr 2010 22:13
On Apr 8, 5:57 pm, "Jesse F. Hughes" <je...(a)phiwumbda.org> wrote: > Rotwang <sg...(a)hotmail.co.uk> writes: > > Transfer Principle wrote: > > >> Standard theorists abuse the word "crank" all the time. There > >> must be a name other than "crank" to call these posters who would > >> prefer discete mathematics to classical mathematics. > > > Do you imagine that discrete mathematics is somehow distinct from > > classical mathematics? > > Of course. People that work in discrete mathematics object to > continuous mathematics. Duh. It's a lot like that whole Mac vs. PC thing. Marshall |