Tom Caylor wrote:
...
> The above does not require physical reality, but only concepts that we
> can think about looking inward (eyes closed view). But even though it
> is "only" conceptual, my point is that we are taking a "leap of faith"
> even when we talk about 1+1=2, classifying an infinite number of cases
> into one equivalence class.
>
> Perhaps at the core of this issue is whether things like "+" are
> prescriptive or descriptive. Is it possible that there are universes
> with mathematical "white rabbits" such that when you take 1 thing and
> 1 other thing ("physical" or not) and associate them in any way,
> including just thinking about them, then you don't necessarily get 2
> things (e.g. sometime you get 1 or 3 or 0)?
>
> Tom
Good point. I think of 1+1=2 as a model. Sometimes, as in putting two apples in a bag, it fits. Other times, as in putting two drops of water in a cup, it can be reinterpreted to fit (in terms of volumes). Or, as in a gathering of the high school basketball team with 12 members in a room with the high school tennis team with 10 members, you may find that 10+12=15. So applying the model requires judgment about what counts and what "+" means.
Brent Meeker
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Received on Fri Jun 08 2007 - 14:34:01 PDT