IJ footnote

[Jeffrey Reid]

> On Thu, 21 Mar 1996, Adam Lou Stephanides wrote:
> > There is at least one other math error in the footnotes: Cantor's
> > Diagonal Proof doesn't mean that between any two objects you can put
> > an infinity of other objects.
>
It does if those objects are numbers on the real line...  Actually, I
think this is a general problem when writing eloquently about math and the
hard sciences.  Can any generalizations or interpretations of math and
science ever be exactly correct?  I don't think so.  Technical definitions
of objects like the Cantor set or, yes, even TRP's fave Entropy, are
economic.  Anything extra is by definition imprecise or at worst, outright
wrong.  Does this make these subjects impossible to include in an artistic
work while still staying true to the concepts?  Maybe.  One thing I am
sure of, it is rarely rewarded.  Scientists turn up their noses at the
imprecise specification of some pet concept, and the art community
doesn't like it because it isn't part of their world.  However, this is
what I like most about Pynchon (I laughed uncontrollably at Mr.
Hilbert-Spaess in GR as well as countless other science 'in jokes' which
lesser authors would avoid) he isn't afraid to tackle some tough but
interesting science in his books.  DFW also has this (to a lesser degree) in
what I've read of IJ.

> > And I have no idea what that guy meant
> > by saying that if you graph two asynchronously blinking pulses you
> > get an ellipse.
>
If I remeber correctly (it's been a long time since I've used one...) on
an oscilloscope if you have two asynchronously varying inputs and you set
the scope in the proper mode it will graph out an ellipse.  The degree of
eccentricity of the ellipse is a measure of the phase difference between
the signals.  (i.e. signals in phase give a circle).

Jeff

---------------------------------------------------------------
Jeffrey G Reid       			jgreid at u.washington.edu
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"O holy mathematics, may I for the rest of my days be consoled
 by perpetual intercourse with you, consoled for the wickedness
 of man and the injustice of the Almighty!"  -- Isidore Ducasse