Bruno: is your
" I do indeed find plausible that the number six is perfect,..."
an argument?
I asked about the "sixness" of six, without counting or quantizing. I honor
your opinion, but it is no evidence. 6 is so nice round, VI is not.
> If you want, numbers are what makes any counting possible<
No, I want: "any counting makes numbers possible". On the abacus you may
count or calculate without numbers if you use identical bullets, by
comparing the length of the strings as your foot, your inch, or your elbow.
Why has 6 'divisors'? because my math teacher said so?
I see a vicious circularity here:
numbers are identified with characteristics which are said to be caused by
the numbers. Assigned characteristics, used as justification for the
character. All "assumed" to be so. If I do not count my fingers, why is 3
different from 5?
If 6 is so perfect, why do we generally use a decimal system? We can even
more compute in binary and even more in 24ary (English) or in 36ary
(Hungarian)
with strings (=words) arithmetic (=syntax) and sum (=sentence - meaning).
So what is the perfect sixness in 6? Or the imperfect nineness in 9 (upside
down)?
You tell me and I will be ready to calculate a Rieman integral or a Lagrange
series.
John Mikes
PS:
When my son was 4 we used 2 buses to the grandparents: #5 and #25. My son
was a good observer. He knew a '5'. On Sunday morning he pointed in the
newspaper to a #2 and said: "a Twenty".
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruno Marchal" <marchal.domain.name.hidden>
To: <everything-list.domain.name.hidden>
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 9:28 AM
Subject: Re: ROADMAP (well, not yet really...
>
>
> Ante diem XVII-um calendas Septembris as Aug. 15 (not XVI as 32-16)
> John M wrote:
>
>
> >
> > Bruno:
> >
> > What is - 6 - ?
> > Perfect number, you say.
> > If I do NOT count - or quantize, does it have ANY meaning at all?
>
>
> Again we are discussing the arithmetical realism (which I just assume).
> To be clear on that hypothesis, I do indeed find plausible that the
> number six is perfect, even in the case the "branes would not have
> collide, no big bang, no physical universe".
> Six is perfect just because its divisors are 1, 2, and 3; and that
> 1+2+3 = 6. Not because I know that. I blieve the contrary: it is the
> independent truth of "6 = sum of its proper divisors" than eventually
> I, and you, can learn it.
>
>
>
>
> > I don't see sense in saying it is more than 5 and less than 7 if I do
> > not
> > know the meaning of 5 and 7 as well. And of 6 of course.
>
>
> I agree. It does not make sense YOU SAYING that "5 < 6 < 7", if YOU
> don't know the meaning of 5, and 6, and 7; unless you are lucky when
> deciding to say random sentences ('course).
> It has nothing to do with the fact that 5 < 6 < 7, independently of you
> and me. Just keep silent, in case you are not sure about the meaning of
> 5, 6, and 7.
>
>
>
>
> > Without quantification, what does "6" mean? Why is it perfect? In
> > what?
> > Try to cut out 'counting' and 'quantities' - let us regard the symbol
> > '6'.
> > What does it symbolize?
> > I can understand it in 2+4=6 on an abacus, but there it is 'counting'
> > bullets.
>
>
> If you want, numbers are what makes any counting possible.
>
>
>
> > What is it in the preceding line?
> > In old Rome 8-3=6 was the right result (as in their back-counting
> > calendar
> > as 8,7,6 - they included the starting (day) into the subtraction), now
> > 8-2
> > make 6 - 6 what?
>
>
> It is not because some country put salt on pancakes that pancakes do
> not exist there. Roman where writing 8 -3 for us 8 - 2. It is like
> saying 3*7 = 25 on planet TETRA. They mean 3*7 = 21, they just put it
> differently.
>
> Bruno
>
> http://iridia.ulb.ac.be/~marchal/
>
>
> >
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
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> Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.1/421 - Release Date: 08/16/06
>
>
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Received on Thu Aug 17 2006 - 21:12:05 PDT