“At present, such relationships can
at best be heuristically described
in terms that invoke some notion
of an ‘intelligent user standing
outside the system.'”
at best be heuristically described
in terms that invoke some notion
of an ‘intelligent user standing
outside the system.'”
— Gian-Carlo Rota in
Indiscrete Thoughts, p. 152
Related Material
The Devil’s Bible and
Nothing Nothings (Again).
The Context
One context for the Rota quote
is Paul Halmos’s remark, quoted
in today’s New York Times,
that mathematics is
“almost like being
in touch with God.”
Another context is
Log24 on Aug. 29, 2005.
