Items in sci.skeptic

Subject:Re: My FLT proof, *last* warning to critics
Date:Sun, 10 Aug 2003 08:15:09 GMT
From:"Stephen" <stevegodfrey83@hotmail.com>
Newsgroups:sci.physics,sci.math,sci.skeptic,alt.math.undergrad
I am only an maths undergrad but I have been reading posting from this group
and other mathematical groups on the net for a while. During all this time I
have come to know your name and have came to know that there are allot of
Mathematicians that have look over your work. And from what I have heard
from other people is that your proof is not totally correct I cannot say I
understand much after the first couple of paragraphs I have tried to read
over it as I have seen you posting on numerous times.

I do believe that if your proof was correct then it would be fully accepted
after all every mathematician will accept anything that can be proved
mathematically.

I do whoever think that maybe some people have just put you in a hole which
you have been digging your self into saying that you have a proof to FLT
which you have not done maybe you are going down the right track but if you
cannot get people to see what you are doing and if you do not listen to what
they have to say. What do you expect from people?

And who are you kidding court of law how would you prove you case for that?

Stephen


"James Harris" <jstevh@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:31db93f.0308091929.2ce8869a@posting.google.com...
> Saying that my proof is wrong without checking it makes me angry, and
> can be causing me financial harm.  I reserve the right to seek redress
> for such harm if it is provable that it occurred, and may do so in a
> court of law.
>
> What makes the current situation so pathetic is that it appears to be
> driven by a relatively small number of small minds, desperate to keep
> up appearances, who act as if they know more than they do, then when
> reality intrudes--they ignore it.
>
> Such a small number of people who today for reasons of accidents of
> history have so much power to do so much harm by doing too little.
>
> My position used to be that "crank" who had endless claims of having
> solved Fermat's Last Theorem.
>
> Now I'm the amateur who found a short proof *and* found a functional
> definition of the prime counting function.
>
> I *was* the underdog, and I went through some major battles.
>
> And I have the scars to prove it.
>
> I think mathematicians owe me the courtesy of not forcing me to fight
> more battles simply because they're failing to accept the truth.
>
> My thoughts on policy are for a later time and acceptance of my
> mathematical work does not force change of policy on you.  Of course,
> you can be sure that someone as dogged as me will probably be able to
> continue to get a lot done, but I also think you'd realize that I am a
> reasonable person, and it's better to not be so clearly at odds with
> me.
>
> After all, math proofs are inviolate, indestructible, and irrefutable.
>
> If you want a battle ground where you have a chance, then you should
> move from the playing field where the war has been completely lost,
> and public policy is a place where you again will have a chance.
>
> The short FLT proof won't decide to be false because you find it
> annoying, nor will the prime counting function meekly withdraw from
> existence.
>
> I suggest those of you fighting me quit acting like they might.
>
> Part of the problem today is that so much has been done that people
> can quit looking at the big picture.
>
> Success is important, but we have to look beyond specific successes to
> the heart of the continuing search for truth, its purpose in our
> lives, and the perils we face if "truth" that is more style than
> substance takes hold.
>
> Here we have a warning that all can understand in the Pioneer probes'
> orbit data where media discussion peaked in 1998, despite the
> implications.
>
> If so many physicists can ignore such, then what else can they ignore?
>
> What else have they ignored?
>
> I guess it depends on if you want explanations about the universe,
> about black holes, quasars, and what the universe is made of, to be
> nice stories, or you expect them to be the truth as clearly as we can
> determine it.
>
> My guess, based on the evidence, is that most people would prefer a
> nice story, than to hear the truth, to hear of uncertainty.
>
>
> James Harris