Not read the article yet Platt, but MOST current computers are built on binary logic, but NOT all, and that binary logic is not at all fundamental to computing / information processing.
EINSTEIN reminds us about another side of Occam "Things should be as simple as possible, but NOT more so." PREGNANCY - it is possible to be in a DOUBTFUL state of pregnancy - miscarriage at least and witness the highly emotive pro-life debate and drawing lines around conception and viability. I wouldn't celebrate too soon - 18 weeks maybe ? Ian On 2/27/08, Platt Holden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi All: > > Every once in awhile someone on this site gets slammed for suggesting a > dichotomy (right/wrong, good/evil, white/black) or as it is termed in > academe, "binary thinking." A wonderfully funny article on this subject can > be found at: > > http://chronicle.com/temp/reprint.php?id=0d88916qty2kc0t0b0gn0bsz1fmdjp7k > > With tongue in check, the author points out that: "Binary logic structures > the very computers on which most attacks on binary logic are composed." > He blames the assault on dichotomies on an academic "cult of complication," > and suggests, "Perhaps it is time to return to Ockham's principle of > parsimony, his so-called razor: 'Plurality is not to be posited without > necessity.' " > > The author is a professor of history, adding credibility to his mocking of > academic devotion to "elevating confusion." Puncturing the "dichotomies are > bad" balloon he points out that "some binary distinctions are worth > recognizing if not celebrating, like the distinction between pregnant and > not pregnant." > > Platt > > Moq_Discuss mailing list > Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. > http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org > Archives: > http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ > http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/ > Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
