Theos-Talk Archives (January 1997 Message tl00223)

Tom Robertson wrote-->
I'd like to see a "formal proof" that 2+2 might not be 4, also.  

Richard Ihle writes-->
I can't give you that, but I can give you one example of the trouble
mathematics can have when it touches something "not of itself":  two gallons
of water added to two gallons of alcohol does not result in four gallons (it
is less because of a difference in the size of the molecules--they "squeeze
together" or something).

Thus, I think Bart made a compelling point when he said, "Mathematics is
meaningless without mathematics; it is a self-contained, self-referential
system."

Godspeed,

Richard Ihle