Re: Some Simple Questions

From: Charlie-Boo (chvol_at_aol.com)
Date: 03/18/05 

Date: 18 Mar 2005 12:24:32 -0800

David C. Ullrich wrote:

> Now pay attention for a second. That's an utterly stupid question.
> Let us suppose that someone says "I have a system that produces X"
> and in their paper that introduces and explains the system there
> are no examples of an X that is produced. I hope that quotation
> was accurate enough. Asking whether this demonstrates that the
> system cannot produce X and the statement that it produces X
> is false is hilariously stupid.
>
> Look. Here's a claim:
>
> (*) The 'system' "take finite sequences of primes and multiply
> them" can 'produce' every integer n >= 2.

That's a bogus example. I referred to the assertion that a particular
system produces X, not "ALL values of X". As you said yourself above,
"there are no examples of an X that is produced", not e.g. "They don't
prove that it produces ALL values of X."

For example, someone claims to have a system for generating computer
programs or theorems of Recursion Theory. Yet they give no examples of
any programs or theorems that are produced - or worse, they give
purported examples without showing how they were generated. (The
latter is not that uncommon.)

> As I suggested: Why don't you re-read the question? It's
> _such_ a stupid question that it can't be what you actually
> meant to ask.

It's stupid to not believe something that hasn't been proven?

What is really stupid is when you (1) make unsubstantiated statements,
or (2) believe BS papers that don't substantiate their claims. To
defend the making of undemonstrated claims is about as stupid as it
gets.

You also have a bad habit on seizing on a small, fairly insignificant
phrase, taking it out of context, and then claiming it is wrong and
thus the whole approach being discussed is wrong.

But I realze that if you admitted that making or believing
unsubstantiated claims is stupid, your past could come back to haunt
you. So I see where you're coming from.

Go right ahead. Keep digging your hole deeper and deeper. . .

C-B

> ************************
>
> David C. Ullrich

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