Re: DB clasical structure violation
Date: Tue, 09 Jul 2002 13:57:13 GMT
Message-ID: <ZYBW8.84$0U1.9789_at_petpeeve.ziplink.net>
> What do you mean? Newton's theory of Gravity is presumably also a
> tautological abstract reasoning. And how on earth can something be
> "inspired by" and yet "not based upon"?
>
> Newton's Theory of Gravity has exactly the same relationship with and
> applicability to the real world as set theory.
They aren't quite the same. Newton's theory of Gravity is fundamentally a
theory about how the real world works.
Set theory is not necessarily about the real world. Newton's Theory of
Gravity, and Newtonian mechanics generally, is a scientific theory,
subject to disproof by experimental evidence. The precession of Mercury
might be an example of experimental evidence that calls Newtonian mechanics
into question.
Set theory is a mathematical theory. As such, it can remain "true" regardless of how the real world works. This is what I understand "tautological" to mean.
There are some works in mathematics that are "true", but not "useful". The question about whether a theory is "useful" or not is really a question of engineering, not of science or math. And that's another story.
Dave Cressey Received on Tue Jul 09 2002 - 15:57:13 CEST