Re: Re: Re: Language vs. Library why it matters
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg61311] Re: [mg61245] Re: [mg61230] Re: Language vs. Library why it matters
- From: "Jose Luis Gomez" <jose.luis.gomez at itesm.mx>
- Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 22:22:50 -0400 (EDT)
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Richard Fateman, to my knowledge (I am not a Mathematician) the classic works of mathematician Kurt Goedel and computer scientist Alan Turing shows that both Mathematics and computer programs have this property: > contrary to some comments > here, it IS NOT nice to have a language so complicated that you > don't > know what it will do, and use as an excuse that's ok because no one > else knows either, and often it does the right thing. That is, I think, the reason why Andrzej Kozlowski gave you that somehow ironic answer about Arithmetic. It might not be nice, but it is the way it is, it is a fundamental limitation of Mathematics, it is also a fundamental limitation of Computer Programs, it is Not a particular limitation of Mathematica. Let me recommend this beautiful book about the work of Goedel and the fundamental limitations of Mathematics: Douglas R. Hofstadter, "Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid" http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465026567/103-1693629-0244650?v=glance&n=2 83155&s=books&v=glance It is a beautiful book. Best regards! José Luis ----Mensaje original----- De: Andrzej Kozlowski [mailto:andrzej at yhc.att.ne.jp] Enviado el: Viernes, 14 de Octubre de 2005 04:54 a.m. Para: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net Asunto: [mg61245] Re: [mg61230] Re: Language vs. Library why it matters On 13 Oct 2005, at 14:39, Richard J. Fateman wrote: > contrary to some comments > here, it IS NOT nice to have a language so complicated that you > don't > know what it will do, and use as an excuse that's ok because no one > else knows either, and often it does the right thing. Actually, a "language" need not be terribly complicated for that. It only needs to contain the axioms of arithmetic... Andrzej Kozlowski Tokyo, Japan