Re: a little meditation on literature and math

From: Ross A. Finlayson (raf@tiki-lounge.com)
Date: Sat Mar 24 2001 - 13:27:07 MST


Lee Corbin wrote:

> Anders Sandberg writes:
>
> > Brilliant! BTW, why set theory? Calculus is so much more fun!
>
> > To me the different branches of mathematics have their own
> > styles. Analysis is baroque, lots of little trigonometric
> > cherubs and leering integral gargoyles. Linear algebra is
> > far more stark, a cubism of straight lines and matrices.
> > Classical geometry is (of course) classicist, while
> > differential geometry is a rich surrealist jungle.
>
> Brilliant! (Really, that's good.)
>
> But set theory is the branch of mathematics where you study
> infinity. Ordinals, cardinals, omega, aleph-one, the first
> inaccessible cardinal, measurable cardinals, the extendable
> cardinals..., it goes on and on. The greatest playground
> ever found by the human mind.
>
> Lee Corbin

Actually, most set theory has absolutely nothing to do with infinity.

Ross

--
Ross Andrew Finlayson
Finlayson Consulting
Ross at Tiki-Lounge: http://www.tiki-lounge.com/~raf/
"It's always one more."  - Internet multi-player computer game player



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