[sdiy] slightly ot: Chua circuit and chaos

[Czech Martin]

I have the impression that the debate on infinity is still
not at all setled yet. 

We better leave that for the mathematicians and look
for the outcome in 200 years...

m.c.

-----Original Message-----
From: Tim Stinchcombe [mailto:tim101 at tstinchcombe.freeserve.co.uk]
Sent: Dienstag, 11. Februar 2003 15:49
To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
Subject: RE: [sdiy] slightly ot: Chua circuit and chaos


> Still today the infinite properties of the non rational 
> numbers are a puzzle for mathematicians. Or as Konecker is 
> believed to say: "Integers were made by God, al else is devils work".
> 
> We simply use these numbers for every day engineering.
> Are we allowed to do so?
> Is the concept of real numbers a good model for what's
> really going on?

Since we managed to use calculus for about 175 years before someone came
along with a decent definition of what an 'infinite limit' actually was, and
so the real numbers were invented, maybe in a 100 years time someone will
come along and decide whether all this 'chaos' stuff is good/not good, and
will thus invalidate/validate what Wehr is saying. Sounds like a really
interesting book: pity there's unlikely to be an english translation of it!

Tim