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Community: [Closed] Nominalist foundations of mathematics

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    There have been a couple of questions recently, from someone with a very long username abbreviated to user34, attempting to promote his philosophy of mathematics. I'd paraphrase his attitude as "although I can't say precisely what I mean by definability, every sane person must agree with me that mathematics is only about definable things." Not surprisingly, his questions have been closed and deleted; he's probably lucky that MO's software doesn't provide buttons for "tar and feather" or "draw and quarter." Nevertheless, there has been serious work, particularly by Paul Lorenzen, attempting to develop mathematics on a foundation reflecting a philosophy similar to user34's. I recently remembered a reference for this work, and I'd like to bring it to user34's attention. Ordinarily, I'd do that by commenting on one of his questions, but these have been deleted, so no comments are possible. Is there a way the moderators could get the following comment to him (perhaps by undeleting a question, adding the comment, and re-deleting)? "You might be interested in the book "Einführung in die operative Logik und Mathematik" by Paul Lorenzen, in which he tries to develop mathematics on a foundation that seems similar to the philosophy that you advocate." Thanks.
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    You do realize that by posting this you are inviting said user to "correspond" with you (ie send you dozens of long emails that get increasingly angry as you don't respond)?
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    @Andy: Thanks for the warning. I've gotten pretty good at hitting the delete button in such cases. The situation was worse when I was on some journals' editorial boards; crank submissions had to be rejected rather than just deleted.
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    @Andreas: is this the same user? Possibly I am completely mistaken.

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    @Willie: It might well be the same user. The same error is at the basis of user34's question "Why is counting remaining intervals ..." and Mueckenheim's "Formalizing an idea." But of course it's entirely possible for two people to make the same mistake.
    • CommentAuthorsimoncfr
    • CommentTimeMay 1st 2012
     
    @WillieWong: Odds are very good that they are the same user. One of the deleted questions by Wolfgang linked to a screenshot he admitted taking of user34's question, wherein you could tell that he was logged in as that user. So they are likely one and the same.
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    @Andreas, this guy is the same user as Willie suggests. I believe his account was completely removed from MO and most of his accounts are currently suspended from MSE as well.

    He even mentioned you in a now deleted MSE thread:

    In any case it was of highest interest to mathematicians, as Andreas Blass confirmed that he had been surprised by Cantor's opinion. And many mathematicians (including himself) have not yet known or have never pondered about the fact that the number of addressable mathematical objects is countable.

    • CommentAuthorWill Jagy
    • CommentTimeMay 1st 2012 edited
     
    NOTE: the two questions being discussed are http://mathoverflow.net/questions/95458 and
    http://mathoverflow.net/questions/95618
    ......
    The title on the first recent post was

    Letter from Cantor to Hilbert. What did Cantor want to say?

    so, naturally, I eventually put a comment

    Many people, men in particular, have trouble saying "I love you."

    This did not get any votes and I deleted it after a few hours.
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    Thanks, Will, for your comments here and also for the e-mail you sent me. In view of the evidence that Mueckenheim and user34 are the same person, I would be well-advised to stay away from him. User34's idea that everything needs to be definable (the idea that seems to connect with Lorenzen's work) is rather mild compared to some of the stuff under Mueckenheim's name (including the claim that I didn't know that the number of addressable objects is countable).
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    Wolfgang Mückenheim is probably one of the most dangerous cranks out there. He has a professorship at the University of Augsburg, Germany, where he is teaching physics and mathematics!! Currently, he is teaching a lecture called "History of the Infinite". This man does real damage.
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    Andreas asks, "Is there a way the moderators could get the following comment to him...." According to the faq, "You can contact the moderators by emailing moderators@mathoverflow.net".
    • CommentAuthorHarry Gindi
    • CommentTimeMay 2nd 2012 edited
     

    The title on the first recent post was
    Letter from Cantor to Hilbert. What did Cantor want to say?
    so, naturally, I eventually put a comment
    Many people, men in particular, have trouble saying "I love you."
    This did not get any votes and I deleted it after a few hours.

    A tragic outcome, Will. You have my sincerest condolences.

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    It seems this thread has served its purpose --- keeping me safe from at least one crank. Moderators: You might as well close it.
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    Andreas, what part of "You can contact the moderators by emailing moderators@mathoverflow.net" did you find unsatisfactory?
    • CommentAuthorWill Jagy
    • CommentTimeMay 2nd 2012
     
    Gerry, I sent you an email that may explain. It's not you, it's me.

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