4DQSAR
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2025
- Messages
- 5,870
But never lose sight of the fact that YOU are someone else's idiot.
In his 1974 book, 'Historical Origins of General Relativity Theory' recounts Hilbert and Einstein's difficult relationship but in that case, after further reflection, both recognized that they were talking past each other. This is recorded in their corespondance. They were able to understand that each was using their own unique 'operating system' and 'data compatability' was not certain. That understood, both enriched the work of the other.
Don't forget, Wittgenstein believed it was the fault of language but abandoned that belief. We cannot employ Gödel numbering to natural speech and even if could that would not solve the problem. Because we are doomed to be uncertain. What even Gödel failed to note is that there are four, not three cases.
1)True
2)False
3)Open (unknown)
4)Blind (unknowable/undecidable)
What Alan Turing was able to prove is that we cannot differentiate beforehand if a case falls under 3 or 4 by any known means of logic.
That said, Jeremy Bentham will always offered the humane perspective - do we NEED to prove a case? Action is what makes us the people we are, not arguments. Always ask 'can this person reasonably accept new facts?', but before that, ask 'can I accept new facts?'
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