Re: Positive random number

Philip Potter schrieb:

Really? At some point you just have to say "that's what I think
everybody is doing" because all you're doing is agreeing on a common
language. Which side of the road do you drive on? The same side everyone
else does. There is no reason it should be left or right - it just is.

Well at exactly *that* problem (zero positive or not) there's *no*
"common opinion". Impressively demonstrated by the fact that even Peano
himself (Peano Axioms! A *great* mathematician in the field of integer
arithmetic) had a reason to change his opinion.

Which fits your analogy nicely, as people in Great Britain drive on the
left side of the road and people in the US on the right side. So there
is obviously no dogmatic "correct way", but you have to ask: where
should I drive? In which environment is it *useful*? I will drive on the
left/right side because I an $WHEREEVER.

I've never met anyone who considered zero to be positive.

You just did.

Therefore, I
do not consider zero to be positive. If I want to say "positive or zero"
I'd generally say "nonnegative".

I've never met a person speaking Aymara, therefore I consider nobody is
speaking Aymara. Everyone who does is obviosly speaking the wrong language.

It's not something to argue about, actually: it's a definition (clear by
the meaning of the word "axiom", actually). It's just frustrating to
meet people over and over again who have never heared of any discussion
about this topic and therefore believe their opinion is the only/best
one. Reminds me of all these stupid US Americans who believe Europe is a
country and who become angry when you tell them that Mexico is a part of
America.

Greetings,
Johannes

--
"Viele der Theorien der Mathematiker sind falsch und klar
Gotteslästerlich. Ich vermute, dass diese falschen Theorien genau
deshalb so geliebt werden." -- Prophet und Visionär Hans Joss aka
HJP in de.sci.mathematik <4740ad67$0$3811$5402220f@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Positive random number
    ... everybody is doing" because all you're doing is agreeing on a common ... arithmetic) had a reason to change his opinion. ... Everyone who does is obviosly speaking the wrong language. ... Why get so angry? ...
    (comp.lang.c)
  • Re: Solo Circumnavigation
    ... 1)Say it loud enough and long enough and you can get anybody to ... 2)Abstract v Specific language (Opinion v Fact). ... It's intellectual laziness that is all too common, in fact so common that the few who take the extra effort are likely to be noted, though often not until the noise has died down. ...
    (rec.boats.cruising)
  • Re: Relative merits of Lisp-1 vs. Lisp-2?
    ... language, not really as customizations of the current language. ... Common Lisp's design just about everywhere presupposes the desire to ... shift from small-address-space situations like Maclisp served (where ...
    (comp.lang.lisp)
  • Re: SQL
    ... >> Patrick May wrote: ... The most common language for manipulating tables is SQL ... > integrate legacy systems and third party products, ...
    (comp.object)
  • Re: why does screwed up source code work?
    ... the common man from using "theory". ... Common Intermediate Language ... Common Lisp ... EGL Programming Language (EGL) ...
    (alt.html)