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Article 5737 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: clarke@acme.ucf.edu (Thomas Clarke)
Subject: ET Ultimatum (was re:Penrose)
Message-ID: <1992May19.121317.20300@cs.ucf.edu>
Sender: news@cs.ucf.edu (News system)
Organization: University of Central Florida
Date: Tue, 19 May 1992 12:13:17 GMT
Lines: 42

SETI researchers just received a peculiar transmission from a star in 
the constellation Cetus.

Suprisingly, the message was in the clear.  Actually it was ASCII TeX!

The substance was:

"Does the following diophantine equation have solutions in the positive
integers:
	< lengthy equation omitted >
Prove your species' intelligence by transmitting the correct solution at 
1420 MHz by 12 PM, Dec 31, 1999 or your world will be sterilized to 
allow another cycle of evolution."

Experts are divided on the how best to answer the challenge. 
The equation is far more intricate than Fermat's last theorem which has 
frustrated mathematicians for hundreds of years.

EE's propose a crash program to build hypercomputers.
CS's propose developing new language paradigms.

Some philosophers say prepare for the end since the general diophantine
equation problem is uncomputable, humans are machines and therefore we
cannot solve it.

Other philosophers say we can go beyond machine computability if we can
only tap the right quantum aspects of the universe.

:-) :-)

What do you think?  Could the human race solve an arbitrary mathematical
problem in finite time given sufficient motivation?  

Your life could depend on it :-) 

--
Thomas Clarke
Institute for Simulation and Training
University of Central Florida
12424 Research Parkway, Suite 300, Orlando, FL 32826
(407)658-5030, FAX: (407)658-5059
clarke@acme.ucf.edu


