Where will the harm come?

[chelle]

I couldn't help but laugh when I read this debate in a tiny philosophic book between the man who invited your computer (T) and a man called Wittgenstein (W):



Apparently the little book is also published on the net, here's the page of the quote: http://www.turing.org.uk/philosophy/ex4.html

[Stephen]

Are you actually afraid of the LHC, or just enjoy speculating on the subject?

[chelle]

Are you actually afraid of the LHC, or just enjoy speculating on the subject?

Proverbially speaking, I sometimes fear that I might be right, otherwise I do enjoy the speculation and the grandeur of a catastrophic event, it tickles my imagination.

Sorry, I'm not good at comforting people.

[CharmQuark]

Chelle i really like the fact you have an open mind this pleases me so much and don't worry about not comforting people thats my job

[chelle]

... don't worry about not comforting people thats my job

I can feel it, thanks, you are an angel

[CharmQuark]

... don't worry about not comforting people thats my job

I can feel it, thanks, you are an angel

Why thank you very much Chelle

[Tau]

It might be useful to observe this paragraph in context.
- Wittgenstein had (how can I say this respectfully) problems with seeing the importance of math in relation to other facts of life.
- Math indeed is not prefect, but there is no application of math (in the sense of bridges and so on) in real life that suffers from contractions or unproved facts.
In other words: this is philosophy; worry about this is you're a philosopher only.

[chelle]

It might be useful to observe this paragraph in context.
- Wittgenstein had (how can I say this respectfully) problems with seeing the importance of math in relation to other facts of life.
- Math indeed is not prefect, but there is no application of math (in the sense of bridges and so on) in real life that suffers from contractions or unproved facts.
In other words: this is philosophy; worry about this is you're a philosopher only.

And your reply is also a philosophic one, and perfectly in line with the debate of these two gentlemen, and correlates just as much with some of our own previous debates. Therefor I thought the quote was funny, and in a way your reply as well, no pun intended. The only fact is as long as we don't have any results, it is like Turing pointed out: "You cannot be confident about applying your calculus until you know that there are no hidden contradictions in it." So we can only philosophise about it.

btw, philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, esp. when considered as an academic discipline.