X-Message-Number: 11570 From: Thomas Donaldson <> Subject: To Bob Ettinger Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1999 21:58:59 +1000 (EST) Hi Bob! As someone who has done lots of math, and known other mathematicians, I will say this: it is one thing to be widely known to have lots of math ability, and another to have lots of math ability. I strongly suspect it is the same with physics. (And math ability is much more complex than may seem: I'm no better at arithmetic than anyone else. Ditto physics). Not only that, I very much doubt that we are the only people on Cryonet with high abilities in some fields. Deutsch has not actually done any striking physics of which I am aware. The simple fact that he's written books means no more than that he's written books. So have I and so have you. So rather than humbly bow to him, I would say something like this: "So far as I can see from his book and what I know myself, ...". If Deutsch knows better arguments but happened not to put them in his book, then none of us could do more than argue with what he's got in his book. Best and long long life to all, Thomas Donaldson Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=11570