Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/08/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I am reminded of the theorem and proof offered to first-year honors maths students back when I was in high school: Theorem: all numbers are interesting. Proof: 1. Assume that the theorem is false, and that, therefore, there is at least one number that is not interesting. 2. Consider the set of all numbers that are not interesting. Numbers being what they are, that set will have a smallest element. 3. Consider this smallest non-interesting number. The idea that there could exist a smallest non-interesting number is certainly interesting, isn't it? 4. Remove that number from the set and return to Step 2. Since the assumption leads to logical paradox, the assumption must be false. Therefore the assumption that the theorem is false is, itself, false. Therefore the theorem must be true, and all numbers are interesting.