RE: Re[2]: interview with Oracle

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0630_050630_top25science.html

This is a list of the 25 the top science questions. Note the reference to Descartes. Rene doubted his own existence. I'd say that tops Bishop Berkeley's musings on toppling timber.

Pope's were not declared infallible until 1870.

Ian MacGregor
Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
ian_at_slac.stanford.edu  

-----Original Message-----

From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org [mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org] On Behalf Of Jonathan Gennick Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2005 7:19 PM
To: Dougie McGibbon
Cc: oracle-l_at_freelists.org
Subject: Re[2]: interview with Oracle

Thursday, June 30, 2005, 4:33:02 PM, Dougie McGibbon (DMcGibbon_at_tollnz.co.nz) wrote: DM> If you were transported back into the 14th century, how would you convince DM> the pope that the Earth was round ?  

I was discussing this very problem with a neighbor kid today<grin>. We were actually discussing the question of whether a falling tree makes noise if no one is around to hear it, but the issue is the same. Of course the tree makes noise, and anyone who argues differently is just trying to annoy and frustrate you (though I suppose you might first need to agree on a definition for "noise").

The solution is not to argue the point at all. I don't waste energy on such arguments. Life is far less frustrating that way. It's pointless to argue with someone who already knows they are arguing for something that isn't true.

The pope is infallible, so, of course, any pope in the 14th century already knew the earth was round. Were such a pope to argue that the earth was flat, he would just be trying to "get your goat", so to speak, to annoy you, and you're best off ignoring him. After all, if he's purposely arguing a position he knows is wrong, no argument you can give will change his position.

That's my answer, and I'm stickin' to it :-)

Best regards,

Jonathan Gennick --- Brighten the corner where you are http://Gennick.com * 906.387.1698 * mailto:jonathan@gennick.com

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http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l Received on Fri Jul 01 2005 - 12:43:06 CDT