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Article 4706 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: ramsay@unixg.ubc.ca (Keith Ramsay)
Subject: Re: mean,meaner,MEANING-est/ intention-and-self the buddhist way
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Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1992 01:32:22 GMT
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In article <1992Mar17.100228.3488@norton.com> brian@norton.com 
(Brian Yoder) writes:
[Quoting someone else:]
|> [...]  In   sci.math for
|> example, I recently noticed the thread about our school-time propostion that
|> x.999999..... =  x+1.  However  much the  steps  used  in the  argument  are
|> justified, the conclusion still appears to  confound us - something that the
|> mind just  has to  "get used to"  as  John  Von Neumann  is supposed to have
|> advised Albert Einstein.

Actually, some of us are not confounded by this at all.

|One of the problems with this kind of argument is that it neglects to
|remember the relationship between mathematics and reality. Just
|because you can construct a mathematical concept like 2.99999... or
|infinity doesn't mean that there is any real referent for the concept.
|Concepts of method like infinity or 2.99999... are certainly useful
|for certain computations, they can't be said to have any direct
|referents, like "6" or "chair" do.

"2.9999..." has a referent in the same sense as "6" does. Why should
anyone suppose otherwise?
--
                       "It is true enough that the bells' language needs
Keith Ramsay            interpreting for the North American public...."
ramsay@unixg.ubc.ca          -Rev. Godden, quoted in "The Clapper".


