bit of Pynchon's witty genius, I think, from the Math(s) section

[Mark Kohut]

I may not have posted this previously. But if it is effectivly a repeat, I apologize. I cannot find my copy.

Re: Russell's Paradox--of sets which must contain themselves and therefore cannot without contradiction.....

It seems Hilbert's "solution" was to say something like: Hey, we mathematicians KNOW that almost all the 
sets we can create are NOT like that........we can tell the ones that are (like that)................................

So, let's work with our certainties and get some math done.........and handle the exceptions in other ways.

When TRP introduces the diorama of Hilbert in the Museum. TRP writes,

It was "Hilbert, without a doubt."......................marvelous


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