X-Message-Number: 10271 From: Olaf Henny <> Subject: Cryonet #10261 Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1998 09:31:39 -0700 > From: Olaf Henny <> > > From: "Perry E. Metzger" <> >> >> >> Peter Merel (#10221) points out that questioning Goedel and other >> >> eminences is presumptuous. >> > >> >Preposterous is more like it. >> >> This, Sir, is a servile attitude, > >No, it is the attitude of someone who actually understands the >contents of the theorem in question and has followed the proof closely >enough. To question the proof is to question my own ability to >reason. The beauty of mathematical proofs is that they are open to >anyone who cares to read them independently verifying them. > >> *Everything* should be questioned, > Sorry, I should have said: "Everything should be open to question and be questioned by someone." >And indeed, I questioned Godel's theorem, examined it, and found it, >with my own mind, to be true. So why then do you label such an act "preposterous"? >One cannot question everything at all >times. At some point you have to settle down and say "yes, I believe >that the object in front of me is a wall, and that no matter how often >I move my head in an attempt to go through it, my forehead will >continue to be bruised".\ Of course. Best, Olaf ___________________________________ Tolerance is wisdom's finest fruit ___________________________________ Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=10271