Re: JSH: Problem space, counting down on DMESE

On Oct 29, 4:25 am, gjedwa...@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
On Oct 29, 5:36 am, Proginoskes <CCHeck...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:



On Oct 28, 1:20 pm, gjedwa...@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

On Oct 28, 3:41 am, junoexpress <MTBrenne...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

So, let's say that having consumer devices write their own encryption
(an extremely old idea that you stumbled on 20 years late) becomes
common. That would mean you guessed right, well done.

How would that also make your incorrect mathematics suddenly correct?

Are you claiming that you would suddenly become world famous as the
'inventor' and therefore all you math would be beyond question?

Besides which, simply having the idea is a very far cry from knowing
how to produce a solution to the problem. Many ideas in physics and
math had been "discovered" before they appeared in print, yet it's the
guy who knows how to actually solve the problem and produce the
solution that gets the credit. There are many ideas that are "simple"
to discover, but take a real mathematician to solve.

So in JSH's mind he thinks he's a genius for discovering these
solutions, even though his mind is too feeble/incapable of actually
producing the solution.

M

Indeed. James' DMESE reminds me of a Feynman story about when he was
approached by an army General who was convinced he had invented a
nuclear powered tank. His 'invention' was a scoop on the bottom of the
tank for gathering sand and dirt, which would be the 'matter' that the
tanks reactor would then turn into energy. That was it - the scoop.
The General was (apparently) quite serious in thinking that his scoop
idea was a major breakthrough.

Please correct me if it wasn't Feynman who told this apparently true
story - I'm not 100% sure it was him.

I don't think it was mentioned in either of his books; it doesn't
sound familiar to me. However, it _does_ sound like Feynman.

Found it, in 'Surely you're joking Mr. Feynman', page 135/136 in the
section 'Judging books by their covers'.

It's not on that page in my edition, but it's in the first few
paragraphs. It was also a digression from the main topic (reviewing
textbooks), which might have been why I didn't focus on it on the last
read-through.

--- Christopher Heckman

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: JSH: Problem space, counting down on DMESE
    ... 'inventor' and therefore all you math would be beyond question? ... nuclear powered tank. ... That was it - the scoop. ... Please correct me if it wasn't Feynman who told this apparently true ...
    (sci.math)
  • Re: JSH: Problem space, counting down on DMESE
    ... 'inventor' and therefore all you math would be beyond question? ... math had been "discovered" before they appeared in print, ... nuclear powered tank. ... That was it - the scoop. ...
    (sci.math)
  • Re: JSH: Problem space, counting down on DMESE
    ... 'inventor' and therefore all you math would be beyond question? ... math had been "discovered" before they appeared in print, ... nuclear powered tank. ... That was it - the scoop. ...
    (sci.math)
  • Re: Duckweed Source
    ... Duckweed is important if you are running a natural low-tech tank. ... Instead of changing the water you scoop out some of the duckweed. ... I still do partial water changes, ...
    (rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants)
  • Re: Duckweed Source
    ... Duckweed is important if you are running a natural low-tech tank. ... Instead of changing the water you scoop out some of the duckweed. ... Floating plants also help to shade other plants when you have too much ...
    (rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants)