Re: Factoring paper is wrong

From: gowan (gowan4_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 06/17/04 

Date: 17 Jun 2004 14:11:00 -0700

"Quinn" <iget@toomuchspam.blah> wrote in message news:<EbFzc.763089$Ig.247129@pd7tw2no>...

<snip>

> It's difficult to watch someone else being called a "liar" and a "fraud"
> when, on another list, I watch as mathematicians encourage and attempt to
> help James arrive at correct results and submit to journals in an
> appropriate manner. And they do this without posturing and wisecrackery. Why
> is that? Because on the other list, the constant bombardment of negativism
> doesn't follow his posts. Does everyone agree with him? No. Do they attack
> him or his ideas? No. They run it up the flag pole, examine it at face
> value, and work from the ideas, not the Elephant.

<snip>

In my opinion the problem is that James Harris himself does not
approach his work in a spirit of collaboration. Rather he does it in
a confrontational manner. For example, his work on factorization of
algebraic integers was trumpeted as revealing an error in "core"
mathematics. He didn't say something like "I think I've found an
error in fundamental mathematics, have I gone wrong somewhere?" He
made it confrontational, throwing it in everyone's face. Then, when
it turned out his work WAS wrong, he wouldn't accept it no matter the
dozens of times it was explained to him carefully and courteously. He
did, finally, seem to acknowledge his error, but then, without
changing anything he is trying to get it published! Obviously he still
doesn't believe he is wrong. When someone doesn't listen to reason
and is confrontational it is not surprising that he's considered a
crackpot and people don't give him the respect he feels he deserves.

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