Complicated Man

By Tom Brown

Thu, 02 Jan 2025
  • 366 reads
13 comments
 

It is not the complicated thing that confuses simple man, it is the simple thing that confuses complicated man,

As questions, “Why?” Or for that matter, Why not? and Why what? What why? Also for instance a statement like “This sentence is false.” Or  “ I am not” does sound rather odd doesn't it? What about “Which came first, chicken or egg?

Ancient Philosophy

Achilles in a race can never overtake the  tortoise, since he must first reach the point where the tortoise started, and from there, where it was then, and then once more … 

This would mean that an infinite series can have a finite sum.

That a flying arrow is still follows from the assumption that time consists of moments, because if time does not consist of moments the assumption is not granted and it follows the arrow is not moving, but is at rest.

Thus, is there a smallest unit of time? No, and I believe this argument could prove that time is continuous and a continuum of real numbers does exist in nature.

The reasoning behind the Archimedes buoyancy principle was your perfect example of such kind of confusion.

Mathematical thinking

What is “Zero multiplied by Infinity”, what about the product of infinitely many Zeroes? Or, “What is One divided by Zero” as, how many zeros go into the number 1? What about, the sum of infinitely many Zeroes?

An infinite series can converge! (as the sum of an infinite number of non-zero positive terms?)

1 + 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 … = 2

1 + 1/2 + 1/3 + 1/4 … = Infinity

Which is true? Guess! And joking, is a point round, or is it square?

Personal favourites

“How does a woman's mind work?” as in “What does a woman want?” Prof. Sigmund Freud himself admitted in twenty years of research he could never work that one out. Or is a woman the perfect random machine?

What colour is a carrot while it still is under the ground? How long can Schrodinger's cat live? And Schrodinger? Why is nothing foolproof? Why do the good guys always win?

“Where do rainbows end?” “When?”

Comments and Questions, Contributions are Welcome!

Certificate 18
Non-fiction
Numbers and Infinities
Philosophy

Comments

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Statements such as “I am not” might be contradictions, or perhaps you can see them as “undecided” / One plus One is Two, because they decided to call Two the number following One / For both the series the sum as given can be proved is correct / Fools are so ingenious / Good guys win because they get to write the history books.

Rainbows don't end! Tom

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I was waiting for one of my children to get to the 'Why?' stage, and suddenly realised that he was in it, but saying, I think it wasa, 'What for/' instead! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

I went through that stage too but was soon satisfied with the reasons I knew my mother was very clever. One often gets the idea it's a game and they taunt you and they get very deliberate, No end to it, eventualully you have to give up.

Thanks for reading! Tom

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

We've had a lot of rain lately now I saw a rainbow. It helps if you are looking out for them! and raining hard again, don't know what is best feeling the cold rain on your skin, or seeing the rainbow!

 

Submitted by marandina on

I've always liked the conundrum of an object falling towards the ground. If it covers half the remaining distance and then keeps repeating by covering half the remaining distance will it ever reach the ground? I'm sure there's a formula for it.

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

It isn't as easy as it looks but I will soon have the formula/ answer. Interesting idea --infinity of hops in finite time. Same idea as the Achilles paradox. How about a forum challenge?!

Cheers Paul! Tom

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

By the way for your total distance s covered it is easy it's an infinite geometric sequence 1/(1- 1/2) = s = 2. It is calculating the Time to stop.This is tricky. Ok. For now.

Thanks for the contribution!

 

Submitted by Yutka on

It is not the complicated thing that confuses simple man, it is the simple thing that confuses complicated man,
 Due to this quote, just to let you know I deleted my poem Eros.....why not be frank and explain the riddle? No way here to send you a private message as far as I see....so this just has to do....greetings

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Sorry man but honestly I can't remember can you post it again?

 

Submitted by Yutka on

I am not a man, you might remember me surely as a woman. You replied on my poem Eros in a very cryptic, I would say nearly unkind way. So I deleted my poem. Remember?

Yutka

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

This is clearly a personal matter, in fact I admire your work, as you should know from previous comments. You really did not need to delete your poem it was very good. I am not familiar with ancient greek and writing at the time.

I did not mean any offence, not to you nor anyone else, with a comment or story ever. Perhaps just a touch of humour. Had to learn that lesson well, luckily not on ABCtales.To alienate people and lose your friends. I try to be very very careful indeed.

Also be assured the editors would put an end to that kind of thing instantly. This is not facebook or those "platforms" it is not chaos.

I do think it's best now to forget it and go on with your writing. Let us rest the mattter now please.

Take it easy, Tom

 

Submitted by Yutka on

Of course Tom. Life sometimes seems incomprehensible....may be that is its attraction, forever hoping....

yutka

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Tell me 'bout it- Hope springs eternal ... and why not? Tom