Incompleteness

I finished reading the book Incompleteness: The Proof and Paradox of Kurt Godel over the weekend...a great read for those of us interested in mathematics and philosophy. The gist of what Godel did was to prove that every mathematical system has unprovable axioms...that is, truths that must be taken without proof.

It seems to me that Godel's theorems have immense epistemological implications. If we grant that they have implications for philosophy and epistemology, then it seems that everyone must have as the basis of their worldview a set of presuppositions to which they hold...like it or not. Mankind in its pride has wanted to live in a closed system where man is "the measure of all things." It seems as if Godel's work illustrates the fact that we don't know it all. I will say more on this later.

Will they meet again?

Michigan came up short against Ohio State on Saturday, but it could be that the two rivals will face each other in January. Only time and a couple of other games between now and then will tell.

I picked up an interesting book Sunday about Kurt Godel and his famous incompleteness theorem. I'm sure I'll have more to say about this in the coming days based on the fact that I've already been spell-bound by what I've read. I know all you engineers are wondering why an engineer (read "applied mathematician") such as myself would be reading about a pure mathematician. I will leave you to wonder about that...

On the Eve of the Biggest Big Game

On the eve of this biggest of big games between U of M and OSU and as an electrical engineer, I wanted to pay tribute to Claude Elwood Shannon...the greatest Wolverine of all time and a Michigan graduate of 1936. While Shannon did not make a name for himself on the football field, he did so with his intellect and by ushering in the digital age in which we now live. His work has special importance for all of us whose job it is to get bits and bytes from one place in the universe to another and for those of us who teach students the foundations of communications theory. He has certainly made his alma mater and the great state of Michigan proud! Hail to the greatest Wolverine and...

It is also with sadness that I acknowledge on this day the passing of another great Wolverine.
Bo Schembechler died today at age 77. All of us who love Michigan football mourn his death.

GO BLUE!

What's Wrong Ohio?

Two days after the elections and I'm still wondering how a state that elected George W. Bush two years ago could elect a US senator that supports the barbaric practice of partial birth abortion. In addition, our new Senator - elect voted as far as I can tell, three times against the USA Patriot Act which seeks to protect our country from terrorists. He also voted against National Missile Defense which would defend our nation against missile launches from such countries as North Korea and Iran. All I can say is...

WHAT'S WRONG OHIO?