Re: Philosophers

[The Goobers <docdwarf@erols.com>]

dogmat wrote:
> 
> The Goobers <docdwarf@erols.com> wrote in article
> <34CFDD2F.4621@erols.com>...
> > Your quibble is acceptable if and only if consistency is something which
> > occurs at a point ('at any one time').  If one needs a line, curve, or
> > more complex construct in order to gauge consistency then your quibble
> > is quickly, quite querulously, quashed.
> >
> > DD
> >
> If consistency is something which occurs at a point, isn't a line or curve
> just a collection of
> points, so consistency occurs along the curve as well?

This is what I was trying to demonstrate; if consistency occurs at a
point, if one can speak of the 'consistency' of something which is, by
definition, discontinuous (a point is that which has no part, as Euclid
tells us) then the argument is valid and holds not only for points but
for collections of points (lines and curves) as well.  If one needs more
than one instance of discontinuity (point) to demonstrate inconsistency
then 'more than one point' also, by definition, defines at least a line,
if not a curve.


> Define X as the
> domain space of the
> "variables" of the game. Define H as the set of rules which constrain the
> variables X (H size <= X size).
> Therefore, the "trajectory" of the game must be a curve in the space of X
> such that H is satisfied.
> A rule change would certainly render the curve as first-order discontinous.
> However, it might be
> zeroth-order continuous, i.e., no step-change.
> 
> OTOH, Calvinball had the ability to change the domain space itself, so the
> game jumps from one domain
> space to another.

But Calvinball *is* limited in domain-space by the panels of the strip;
if it goes beyond those it then becomes (Heaven forbid)... Nancyball or
MaryWorthball.

> The question is whether or not this jump is continuous or
> not. To study this, we would
> have to define Xsuper as the union of all the possible domain spaces, and
> look at the trajectory in Xsuper.
> And it is quite possible that Xsuper does not exist, as certain rule
> changes rendered the previous domain
> invalid.

You mean... FamilyCircusball?  Aaiiieeeeeee!

> 
> Hmm. I withdraw my previous assertion. Perhaps we should pass this problem
> along to the game theorists.
> Now what newsgroup is that?

Game theorists do not have a newsgroup, they are all busy planning tours
to Las Vegas.

DD