Re: Yet another Attempt at Disproving the Halting Problem

From: Simon G Best (s.g.best_at_btopenworld.com)
Date: 08/01/04 

Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2004 20:51:53 +0000 (UTC)

Kent Paul Dolan wrote:
[...]
>
> I'm far too mentally ill to take my own advice, of
> course. The excuses of the rest of you for
> continuing to answer Peter once his actions have
> been clarified from his prior postings are exactly
> what, again?

I have no good reason for participating in these discussions. The
honest truth is that I just can't quite resist the urge, the temptation,
to try to convince Peter Olcott that there's *no* general solution to
The Halting Problem. The truly honest truth is that I *want* to fail to
resist the urge, the temptation. I do get a perverse enjoyment from
being astounded at the spectacular stubbornness of the likes of Olcott.

Sometimes I visit sci.crypt, to see if a certain, prolific poster in
that newsgroup is still being willfully ignorant and argumentative.

Oh, and I've also occasionally looked in on sci.physics.relativity (if I
remember the newsgroup's name, correctly), just to marvel at the
flat-earthers. Some of the arguments of a certain Ken H Seto are truly
funny - did you know that light doesn't actually go at a slant?

Actually, there is a good reason, sort of. It gets me to think more
about things like The Halting Problem. I do actually gain a bit more
understanding as a result - but not from the Olcotts or the Stonelocks.
  (Stonelock was someone who popped up in sci.crypt, and insisted that
*all* problems could be solved. I 'made the mistake' of raising the
issue of The Halting Problem (or did someone else raise it?). He
/insisted/ that there was a general solution, and that all you had to do
was to use 'structure analysis'. That's also how I first learned of
Goldbach's Conjecture.)

So, yes, there is a positive side to all this - a bit like teflon from
the space race.

> Someday the whole world will be crazy, just like me.
> Peter is trying to make them crazy, just like him,
> instead. I fear he is winning the race.

They rush ahead, like the hare.

Simon

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Yet another Attempt at Disproving the Halting Problem
    ... to try to convince Peter Olcott that there's *no* general solution to ... being astounded at the spectacular stubbornness of the likes of Olcott. ... about things like The Halting Problem. ... the space race. ...
    (sci.logic)
  • Re: The Psychology of Responding to Crackpots
    ... I have a very hard time ignoring crackpots like Peter ... |Olcott when they post. ... The real problem is when there isn't any such satisfaction, ... It helped me some to observe the progression of one political movement ...
    (sci.logic)
  • Re: Disproof of the Halting Problems Conclusion
    ... Peter> the computer making the program not run correctly. ... But as long as you modify your program correctly, ... Halting problem: once you know that the halting problem of Turing ... Turing machine) cannot be solved using anything with no stronger power ...
    (comp.theory)
  • Re: Disproof of the Halting Problems Conclusion
    ... Peter> the computer making the program not run correctly. ... But as long as you modify your program correctly, ... Halting problem: once you know that the halting problem of Turing ... Turing machine) cannot be solved using anything with no stronger power ...
    (sci.logic)
  • Re: What is the Result from Invoking this Halt Function?
    ... Olcott that seems to compel a response? ... outrage or, at least, moral duty -- as when a liar or doctrinaire hack ... There is an elementary proof that the Halting Problem is unsolvable (one ...
    (comp.theory)
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