random

[Tim Roberts]

Lulu of the Lotus-Eaters <mertz at gnosis.cx> wrote:
>
>But if you are not happy with mere physical/empirical impossibility, it
>works equally well for mathematical impossibles:
>
>  <2+2=5> IMPLIES <2+3=6>
>
>works fine by application of Peano arithmetic.

This brings to mind an old joke.  A philosophy professor lecturing his
class states, "given any false statement, I can prove any other statement."

A student stands up and challenges "OK, given 3 equals 8, prove you are the
pope."

The professor thinks for a moment.  "All right, 3 equals 8.  Adding 2 to
both sides, we get 5 equals 10.  We divide both sides by 5, and get 1
equals 2.  Now, I think everyone will acknowledge that the pope and I are
two people.  Since we have shown that 1 equals 2, we conclude that the pope
and I are one person."
--
- Tim Roberts, timr at probo.com
  Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.