KU prof's e-mail irks fundamentalists (Christian Bashing OK)

Wichita Eagle ^ | 25 Nov 2005 | Associated Press

[AmishDude]

Tom Watson

The golfer?

[donh]

There was also a flaw in Principia Mathematica, which wasn't discovered for about 50 years.

You're talking about Newton's PM, right?

Eh? Surely you can tell me who wrote "Principia Mathematica".

[AmishDude]

When you talk about me, please do me the courtesy of pinging me. Thank you.

[AmishDude]

As I said, there are several works in antiquity with the title "Principia Mathematica", which were not written by Newton.

[RightWingNilla]

Unfortunately, I have to spend time searching through this thread for when you are talking about me behind my back.

Why should you care what I say? I thought we were way down on the intellectual food chain.

Besides why go trolling when there is football to be watched? (BTW how does a pennsylvania native get to be a miami fan? - a much better site for your homepage.)

[donh]

uThe golfer?

ok, ok, lets make that: Jim Watson

[AmishDude]

Why should you care what I say? I thought we were way down on the intellectual food chain.

Well, since I'm not obsessed with you, personally, I have no idea what you do. But it's just that your work is insectine, not you yourself. Why you could be a highly intelligent person. In your case, though, I'm not going to wager on it.

[donh]

As I said, there are several works in antiquity with the title "Principia Mathematica", which were not written by Newton.

Indeed, you did say that.

[RightWingNilla]

When you talk about me, please do me the courtesy of pinging me. Thank you.

Pinging the mod over this?

Man, you have major esteem issues. Get over yourself already.

[RightWingNilla]

I have no idea what you do. But it's just that your work is insectine

I am an underappreciated, underpaid math professor at a backwater midwestern university.

[AmishDude]

I told you about it once. It is extremely bad form to talk about someone on a public thread without pinging them. If you do wish to do so, I suggest you PM the individuals you want to talk to.

And I notice you've gone into the ad hominem again.

[donh]

Mathematics won't find penicillin

Huh...so I guess maybe we should keep some of these mathematically feeble biologists on retainer after all?

[AmishDude]

so I guess maybe we should keep some of these mathematically feeble biologists on retainer after all?

Of course. Work has its value. Why is it so disconcerting to admit that this requires lower-order thinking?

[Virginia-American]

...I'm a bit surprised in that the 4-color theorem was a holy grail of sorts...

Part of the reason is that there is a formula for the number of colors needed; it was only proved for genus > 0, but gives 4 for genus = 0.

Also, the fact that it was "proved" and then the proof was shot down makes it interesting.

But the real reason was probably Martin Gardner

Discussion and history of four-color theorem

This site has the (correct) formula and links to colored models with g=20.

[donh]

And I notice you've gone into the ad hominem again.

An insult is not necessarily an Ad Hominem. It could just be an insult--do you have trouble understanding why a biology professor might find your dismissive opinions of his entire profession irksome enough to respond to in kind?

[RightWingNilla]

I told you about it once.

Get over yourself Amish. You aren't that important.

[CarolinaGuitarman]

"As I said, there are several works in antiquity with the title "Principia Mathematica", which were not written by Newton."

I know of no works written at any time entitled ""Principia Mathematica" written by Newton. I guess historians of science are needed after all.

[AmishDude]

You aren't that important.

You seem to think so.

[donh]

Of course. Work has its value. Why is it so disconcerting to admit that this requires lower-order thinking?

It's irksome because it's rude and uncalled for, and absurd. If biological thinking produces something as valuable to humans as penecillin, whereas mathematical thinking is largely irrelevant to the problem, than as far as parents of children with deadly diseases goes, mathematical thinking is "lower order"--off the scale, in fact.

[RightWingNilla]

I know of no works written at any time entitled ""Principia Mathematica" written by Newton. I guess historians of science are needed after all.

Good catch.