Comments on: Review: "The Wandering Stars" (part 1 of 2) http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/ some adventure Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:20:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: John the Statistician http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1235 John the Statistician Tue, 30 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000 http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1235 Ok, where's the next post? Ok, where's the next post?

]]> By: John the Statistician http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1228 John the Statistician Thu, 30 Nov 2000 00:00:00 +0000 http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1228 David: you may or may not enjoy the story starting at http://achewood.com/?date=08202003 David: you may or may not enjoy the story starting at http://achewood.com/?date=08202003

]]> By: David Saff http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1227 David Saff Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1227 One of my most common fantasies (after, you know, that other one) is that I manage to bring Isaac Newton forward to the present day, and just walk around my neighborhood. What would I have to explain, what would he find incomprehensible, what would he think "Oh yes, of course!" This game should work with any reasonably intelligent person of more than a century ago, but for some reason, it's always Newton for me. One of my most common fantasies (after, you know, that other one) is that I manage to bring Isaac Newton forward to the present day, and just walk around my neighborhood. What would I have to explain, what would he find incomprehensible, what would he think "Oh yes, of course!" This game should work with any reasonably intelligent person of more than a century ago, but for some reason, it's always Newton for me.

]]> By: John the Statistician http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1226 John the Statistician Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1226 This comic would have been very interesting if they had taken cross-century cultural differences seriously. A comic about the people behind mathematics, supposedly the most timeless of disciplines, working through the differences of their traditions, would be simply wonderful. That's hard writing, though. This comic would have been very interesting if they had taken cross-century cultural differences seriously. A comic about the people behind mathematics, supposedly the most timeless of disciplines, working through the differences of their traditions, would be simply wonderful. That's hard writing, though.

]]> By: Kevin http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1225 Kevin Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1225 Yes, I could have clarified that the apple logo was a coincidence, instead of leaving it ambiguous. I was also thinking of Archimedes. With Archimedes and Hypatia you have bookends for the Roman Empire. My roommates and I in university were at one point trying to figure out how quickly one could, with current knowledge, construct a technologically advanced society after traveling back in time several thousand years. We never got around to gold-plating any spoons, however. For shame. Yes, I could have clarified that the apple logo was a coincidence, instead of leaving it ambiguous.

I was also thinking of Archimedes. With Archimedes and Hypatia you have bookends for the Roman Empire.

My roommates and I in university were at one point trying to figure out how quickly one could, with current knowledge, construct a technologically advanced society after traveling back in time several thousand years. We never got around to gold-plating any spoons, however. For shame.

]]> By: David Saff http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1224 David Saff Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1224 Turing is of course the best choice of the bunch. Think of the possibilities! As Hofstadter points out, (and confirmed at http://www.csh.rit.edu/~jon/text/papers/turing/), Turing was the original MacGyver: Turing continued his biological research but soon became involved in what he called "the desert island game." The game involved the manufacture of as many household substances from scratch using as few of the materials Turing had in his home as possible. This set Alan off on such varied activities as producing a nonpoisonous weedkiller and gold-plating a spoon. Not only that, but imagine! "That's no human behind that door! Ask it how it feels when it thinks about being deceived by its Mother!" I second Gauss, and find Archimedes a particularly interesting omission, although easily explainable: to add him to the group would either increase the number of Greeks or men. Finally, shame on me for passing on the Turing/Apple story before Google-checking it... Turing is of course the best choice of the bunch. Think of the possibilities! As Hofstadter points out, (and confirmed at http://www.csh.rit.edu/~jon/text/papers/turing/), Turing was the original MacGyver:

Turing continued his biological research but soon became involved in what he called "the desert island game." The game involved the manufacture of as many household substances from scratch using as few of the materials Turing had in his home as possible. This set Alan off on such varied activities as producing a nonpoisonous weedkiller and gold-plating a spoon.

Not only that, but imagine! "That's no human behind that door! Ask it how it feels when it thinks about being deceived by its Mother!"

I second Gauss, and find Archimedes a particularly interesting omission, although easily explainable: to add him to the group would either increase the number of Greeks or men.

Finally, shame on me for passing on the Turing/Apple story before Google-checking it…

]]> By: John the Statistician http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1220 John the Statistician Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1220 me: Leibnitz would make a capable Jupiter. His courtside manner was occasionally suggestive of a "gas giant" Kevin: Oooh, somebody was telling me the other day that it took Newton, a "physicist", to invent calculus. me: Appropriate response "No, Liebnitz invented calculus, and Newton abused it for a popular audience" "as appropriate for a physicist" Kevin: Right. Nevermind that we use Leibnitz's notation anyway. And he can't be blamed if Newton sat on his manuscript for 20(?) years. me: indeed hmm, it seems he deserves a spot on the team just to get some more press although it's kind of singing to the choir Kevin: Yes. me: Leibnitz would make a capable Jupiter. His courtside manner was occasionally suggestive of a "gas giant"
Kevin: Oooh, somebody was telling me the other day that it took Newton, a "physicist", to invent calculus.
me: Appropriate response
"No, Liebnitz invented calculus, and Newton abused it for a popular audience"
"as appropriate for a physicist"
Kevin: Right.
Nevermind that we use Leibnitz's notation anyway.
And he can't be blamed if Newton sat on his manuscript for 20(?) years.
me: indeed
hmm, it seems he deserves a spot on the team just to get some more press
although it's kind of singing to the choir
Kevin: Yes.

]]> By: John the Statistician http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1219 John the Statistician Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000 http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1219 I'd take Ada Lovelace as Venus, just because I want another programmer on the team. (Turing was pretty impressive, in that regard. He would give lecture in machine code, and occasionally refer to architectures with a backwards endian than the students were used to). Plus, her and Turing arguing would be awesome material. I'd take Ada Lovelace as Venus, just because I want another programmer on the team. (Turing was pretty impressive, in that regard. He would give lecture in machine code, and occasionally refer to architectures with a backwards endian than the students were used to). Plus, her and Turing arguing would be awesome material.

]]> By: John the Statistician http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1218 John the Statistician Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:00:00 +0000 http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1218 Hmmm, the inventor of algebra is given the planet with rings. Clever. Hmmm, the inventor of algebra is given the planet with rings. Clever.

]]> By: Calvin http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1217 Calvin Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000 http://kevin.saff.net/2007/07/18/review-the-wandering-stars-part-1-of-2/#comment-1217 Woot! Awesome blog, 99.9 kudos! Anyways, I'd put Galois for sure, but also KF Gauss and maybe like, some chinese poets? What about Einstein, and my math teacher from grade 9, Mr. Byrne? Hmm.... Looking forward to part 2, the mini biographies were awesome! Woot! Awesome blog, 99.9 kudos! Anyways, I'd put Galois for sure, but also KF Gauss and maybe like, some chinese poets? What about Einstein, and my math teacher from grade 9, Mr. Byrne? Hmm…. Looking forward to part 2, the mini biographies were awesome!

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