When I saw that subject line I was so hoping it was Bertie Wooster.
On Mar 23, 2010, at 1:08 PM, [email protected] wrote:
Discussions of the "meaning" of math are always interesting --- and
revealing.
When I was a student of math at Cambridge Bertrand Russell was still
around, and much in evidence. He is supposed to have said,
"Mathematics is a subject where you don't know what you are talking
about, and don't care if what you say is true".
We smart-ass grad students thought that most entertaining. After
all, the canonical example is: "Let x equal y". Most ordinary folks
found the remark very annoying, which, I suspect, was mainly its
purpose.
He is also alleged to have said, "People who discuss sex or
mathematics usually don't practise it very well."
Peter Lissaman, Da Vinci Ventures
Expertise is not knowing everything, but knowing what to look for.
1454 Miracerros Loop South, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505,USA
tel:(505)983-7728
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FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
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============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
