Re: In an RDBMS, what does "Data" mean?
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2004 19:16:42 -0500
Message-ID: <c9of1n$7rt$1_at_news.netins.net>
"Anthony W. Youngman" <wol_at_thewolery.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:FhLmDnFZR7vAFwQU_at_thewolery.demon.co.uk...
> In message <Comvc.4724$n65.4145_at_newssvr33.news.prodigy.com>, Eric Kaun
> <ekaun_at_yahoo.com> writes
> >> This theory will then be the equivalent of Kepler and Newton
discovering
> >> ellipses and calculus, or of Einstein realising that mass and energy
> >> were interchangeable. Basically, pretty much ALL of relational theory's
> >> axioms are taken as given by the mathematicians, and no thought is
given
> >> as to whether they actually match the real world.
> >
> >Which axioms don't match? I wasn't really aware there were axioms per se.
>
> BLOODY HELL ...
>
> I don't mean to sound stunned, but this takes the biscuit ...
>
> ALL mathematical theories are based on axioms.
>
> Science is basically the search for experimental proof that the axioms
> correctly describe the real world.
>
> If you can't describe relational theory in terms of axioms and logical
> deductions, then it isn't maths and can't be science!
By George, you've got it., Wol!!! Perfect!
Relational theory, once some choice axioms are added in (without being stated as axioms and without being obvious that they out to be axiomatic when measured by any map to reality) does then proceed with mathematics, but there is a lot of "tossing stuff in and out" going on because there is not that match with reality at each point.
Cheers! --dawn Received on Fri Jun 04 2004 - 02:16:42 CEST