Zeno's runner paradox (Moppie!)

[fritz_269]

Damn. PH went down right after I posted this reply to Moppie. I'll reconstruct it briefly here.

Zeno was a 1st millenia Greek philosopher, a contemporary of Socrates. He was really interested in the concept of units, particularly time and motion.

Here's a brief description of Zeno's paradox(es):
http://www.philosophers.co.uk/cafe/paradox5.htm

Here's a deeper logic analysis:
http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/zeno1.htm

How could you possibly get an ethics degree without learning this crap!?!?

[SickLude]

that is quite interesting. i think thats the same thing as the cutting theory. you can never finish cutting anything because you can always cut half of half, and then cut half of that, and then half of that and so on.

[fritz_269]

Originally posted by SickLude
that is quite interesting. i think thats the same thing as the cutting theory. you can never finish cutting anything because you can always cut half of half, and then cut half of that, and then half of that and so on.

Both Plato and Aristotle had the belief that matter was continuous based directly on that line of reasoning; so it seems quite possible that Zeno took that as truth as well.

Although their contemporary, Democritus (aka "the laughing philosopher" :hehehe: ), did believe in a fundamental 'smallest' unit - he used the Greek word "atomos" meaning uncuttable, from which we get the current word "atom". Cool eh?

[SickLude]

damn that is pretty cool. and you know what else is cool?? how you know everything. i never thought i would be discussing philosophy with Fritz, although i never really tried anything but cars. whateverthecase, this is awesome. :jump:

[SickLude]

when i come back froms school, ill post a question for you. we discussed it in philosophy last year and it was really interesting to see what people would say to it.

[fritz_269]

Originally posted by SickLude
when i come back froms school, ill post a question for you. we discussed it in philosophy last year and it was really interesting to see what people would say to it.

I wait with baited breath... :smoker:

PS> where the heck is Moppie?? This was an extention of the discussion we were having when PH went down...

[SickLude]

what was discussed on PH about this matter?

[fritz_269]

Originally posted by SickLude
what was discussed on PH about this matter?

Strangely enough, it was a discussion of CFM through an engine that got sidetracked onto Synthetic Aperature Radar that got sidetracked onto Zeno's paradox. We'd just started talking about Zeno when PH went down, so I though I'd pick it up here.

What's this philosophy question you had in school???
**edit: Oh - I just found it in your new thread - sorry. **/edit

Where's Moppie???
:smoker2:

[Moppie]

Originally posted by fritz_269



Where's Moppie???
:smoker2:

who? what? ohh ahhh.

[91HBSi]

hehe, fritz you are one crazy dude...