X-Message-Number: 21048 Date: Mon, 03 Feb 2003 13:58:30 -0800 From: James Swayze <> Subject: The, ummmm 'why' of X's and Y's References: <> > > Message #21040 > From: > Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2003 17:45:01 EST > Subject: comments on philosophy > > --part1_1ed.cbbdc7.2b6ef96d_boundary > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > A comment on philosophy - which I am a student. It seems that several major > philosophers have tried to make philosophy a branch of mathematics. Others > have tried to incorporate mathematics into philosophy. In my on humble > opinion, I think relying too much on mathematics is where most philosophers > (even those of us on this forum) go wrong ( I do think it has some limited > uses). I totally agree. > There are just some ideas in philosophy that cannot be put into (or > be solved by) mathematical formulas. > > Having said the above disclaimer, I would like to take a shot at disputing > the following statement, that I recently saw on Cryonet: "No amount of > mathematics can make an x be a y." > > x = 5 > y = 5 > therefore, x = y > > Would this count? I'm sorry but no. Could you substitue x for y in yxlaphone or May More, Max may no appreciate that <g>? If you'll recall my exact words were: "No amount of math can make an X be a Y." The emphasis would rest upon the word _be_. But, hey, thanks for trying. James -- Cryonics Institute of Michigan Member! The Immortalist Society Member! The Society for Venturism Member! MY WEBSITE: http://www.geocities.com/~davidpascal/swayze/ While there follow the links to photos of me and some of my artwork and a radio interview on Dr. J's ChangeSurfer Radio program with me and the father of cryonics Prof. Robert Ettinger, author of "The Prospect of Immortality". A RELIGION I actually recommend: http://www.venturist.org A FAVORITE quote: Last lines of the first Star Trek the Next Generation movie. Capt. Picard: "What we leave behind is not as important as how we've lived, after all Number One, we're only mortal." Will Ryker: "Speak for yourself captain, I intend to live forever!" Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=21048