Re: By The Dawn's Normal Light

From: Marshall Spight <mspight_at_dnai.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2004 21:14:35 GMT
Message-ID: <%0efd.6194$R05.3543_at_attbi_s53>


"Alfredo Novoa" <alfredo_at_ncs.es> wrote in message news:417d2d92.21430625_at_news.wanadoo.es...
> On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 18:57:04 GMT, "Marshall Spight" <mspight_at_dnai.com>
> wrote:
>
> >> A RELATION is, by definition, in 1NF.
> >
> >To effectively apply a "by definition" argument, the definition
> >used has to be one that pretty much everyone agrees on. This
> >is not the case here; the definition you use is a minority opinion.
>
> Mathematical correction does not depend on the opinion of the
> majorities. Maths are not democratic.

Math is not governed by democratic principles, but language is. Definitions lie in the domain of language. If I define, all by myself, 1NF as being the same thing everyone else calls "waffles" and I get into a disgreement with someone over whether tables are in 1NF by definition, with me taking the position that 1NF is something tasty you pour syrup on, "by definition" then we aren't having a useful discussion, because we don't have agreed upon terms. Mathematics does not enter into it in any least way.

Marshall Received on Mon Oct 25 2004 - 23:14:35 CEST

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