Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/08/17

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Subject: [Leica] the first IIIg
From: reid at mejac.palo-alto.ca.us (Brian Reid)
Date: Tue Aug 17 08:01:53 2004
References: <010501c48469$527a8450$6601a8c0@ccapr.com>

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.



In reply to: Message from bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen) ([Leica] the first IIIg)