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Re: What is understanding?

----- Original Message -----
From: Ludwik Kowalski <KowalskiL@MAIL.MONTCLAIR.EDU>
To: <PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 1999 5:04 PM
Subject: Re: What is understanding?


. . .
For the time being I will stick to my belief that IN PURE
MATHEMATICS, as opposed to its practical applications,
understanding can be described as "an ability of a human
being to generate syllogistic derivations from already
accepted statements". . . .

I would propose that there is more to understanding a proposition than
just knowing its logical genesis - in both math and physics (and
everything else). To me, understanding involves an appreciation which
grows with time and experience, long after the "proof" has been accepted.

-Bob

Bob Sciamanda (W3NLV)
Physics, Edinboro Univ of PA (em)
trebor@velocity.net
http://www.velocity.net/~trebor