[chat] Strange numbers, was Opinions sought: Exim vs Sendmail

[Michael Lake <Mike.Lake@xxxxxxxxxx>]

James Gregory wrote:
> You know, that's an interesting question. It was believed for some time
> that 0 wasn't actually a number. Likewise, the nature of i (sqrt(-1))
> was dubious for some time.

And we all know what was Indias contribution to mathematics right?
Answer: nothing :-)

> I'm not sure about these numbers that describe quantities though. What
> quantity does i represent?

and if you think sqrt(-1) is difficult to conceive of consider the Aleph 
numbers. Consider.....

Aleph1 is the number of points in a line (i.e. a one dimensional line)
Aleph2 is the number of points in a plane (i.e. a two dimensional surface)
Aleph3 is the number of points in a volume, any volume (i.e. a one three 
dimensional thing)

Now what is bigger, surely there are more points in a surface than in a 
line? Is Aleph2 > Aleph1 ?
Mathematicians work with these things as confidently as we work with 
normal numbers.Its truly astounding. But then I did see a quote 
yesterday which was attributed to Richard Feynman (a great Physisist) 
who said "physics is to mathematics as sex to masturbation."

Mike
-- 

Mike Lake
Caver, Linux enthusiast and interested in anything technical.



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