Comments for Steven Landsburg | The Big Questions: Tackling the Problems of Philosophy with Ideas from Mathematics, Economics, and Physics http://www.thebigquestions.com The Big Questions | Tackling the Problems of Philosophy with Ideas from Mathematics, Economics, and Physics Tue, 21 May 2013 09:13:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Boxcar Willie by Brandon Berg http://www.thebigquestions.com/2013/05/21/boxcar-willie/comment-page-1/#comment-101530 Brandon Berg Tue, 21 May 2013 09:13:24 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=8577#comment-101530 I would guess that it would move to the left in response to the water moving right. Since the ice is frictionless, the wheels shouldn't turn. I would guess that it would move to the left in response to the water moving right. Since the ice is frictionless, the wheels shouldn’t turn.

]]> Comment on Boxcar Willie by Richard http://www.thebigquestions.com/2013/05/21/boxcar-willie/comment-page-1/#comment-101525 Richard Tue, 21 May 2013 06:52:05 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=8577#comment-101525 The car will go to the left? If the car would remain at standstill, the water would have effectively moved to the right. Action=reaction so some force somehow should have been exerted on the car? The car will go to the left?

If the car would remain at standstill, the water would have effectively moved to the right. Action=reaction so some force somehow should have been exerted on the car?

]]> Comment on Boxcar Willie by Mike H http://www.thebigquestions.com/2013/05/21/boxcar-willie/comment-page-1/#comment-101524 Mike H Tue, 21 May 2013 06:40:31 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=8577#comment-101524 Surely it must depend on the shape of the hole and the fluid dynamics of water? Or should we idealize the hole and the water as well as the boxcar? Surely it must depend on the shape of the hole and the fluid dynamics of water? Or should we idealize the hole and the water as well as the boxcar?

]]> Comment on News From The Math World by Roger http://www.thebigquestions.com/2013/05/20/news-from-the-math-world-2/comment-page-1/#comment-101522 Roger Tue, 21 May 2013 04:55:30 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=8574#comment-101522 Also, any odd number is a sum of 3 primes. A proof was recently claimed. Also, any odd number is a sum of 3 primes. A proof was recently claimed.

]]> Comment on News From The Math World by Mike H http://www.thebigquestions.com/2013/05/20/news-from-the-math-world-2/comment-page-1/#comment-101521 Mike H Tue, 21 May 2013 02:20:20 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=8574#comment-101521 Awesome! Big news indeed, which I'm sure will be followed close on its heels by more, similar big news! Awesome! Big news indeed, which I’m sure will be followed close on its heels by more, similar big news!

]]> Comment on News From The Math World by Steve Landsburg http://www.thebigquestions.com/2013/05/20/news-from-the-math-world-2/comment-page-1/#comment-101516 Steve Landsburg Mon, 20 May 2013 21:17:19 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=8574#comment-101516 nobody.really: Fair enough. I won't deprive your comment of context by editing the post but ... you know what I meant! nobody.really: Fair enough. I won’t deprive your comment of context by editing the post but … you know what I meant!

]]> Comment on News From The Math World by nobody.really http://www.thebigquestions.com/2013/05/20/news-from-the-math-world-2/comment-page-1/#comment-101515 nobody.really Mon, 20 May 2013 20:26:30 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=8574#comment-101515 <blockquote>Does or does not this list go on forever? There are very strong reasons to believe the answer is yes….</blockquote> You heard it here first: Is the proposition (X or not X) true? There are very strong reasons to believe the answer is yes…!

Does or does not this list go on forever? There are very strong reasons to believe the answer is yes….

You heard it here first: Is the proposition (X or not X) true? There are very strong reasons to believe the answer is yes…!

]]> Comment on News From The Math World by Bob Murphy http://www.thebigquestions.com/2013/05/20/news-from-the-math-world-2/comment-page-1/#comment-101513 Bob Murphy Mon, 20 May 2013 18:35:20 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=8574#comment-101513 I always love results like this. We should do this in economics. "I am quite certain that QE5 will affect the rate of consumer price inflation, I just can't say which way." (I'm not being snarky.) I always love results like this. We should do this in economics. “I am quite certain that QE5 will affect the rate of consumer price inflation, I just can’t say which way.”

(I’m not being snarky.)

]]> Comment on Seven Trees in One by Harold http://www.thebigquestions.com/2013/05/09/seven-trees-in-one/comment-page-1/#comment-101506 Harold Mon, 20 May 2013 15:34:59 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=8556#comment-101506 #29 " then in particular it’s not true, so it is true, which is impossible." But under dialetheism it is not impossible. It can be true and not true. #29 ” then in particular it’s not true, so it is true, which is impossible.” But under dialetheism it is not impossible. It can be true and not true.

]]> Comment on Seven Trees in One by Keshav Srinivasan http://www.thebigquestions.com/2013/05/09/seven-trees-in-one/comment-page-1/#comment-101497 Keshav Srinivasan Mon, 20 May 2013 03:41:57 +0000 http://www.thebigquestions.com/?p=8556#comment-101497 Tony N, saying that statements are neither true nor false is not enough to resolve the liar paradox either. Consider the statement "This statement is not true." If it's neither true nor false, then in particular it's not true, so it is true, which is impossible. Tony N, saying that statements are neither true nor false is not enough to resolve the liar paradox either. Consider the statement “This statement is not true.” If it’s neither true nor false, then in particular it’s not true, so it is true, which is impossible.

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