Ravi Our Roving Reporter reports: >well, what does 'exist' mean? physical existence? > >(btw, i think bernays has a good definition of a sort of >restricted platonism that he is happy with and i would >venture many mathematicians implicitly use. hilary putnam >calls himself a realist. i am sure a whole host of phil., >of math are still influenced by carnap style positivism, >as there are others influenced by godel's platonism -- i >recall reading a debate between hawkings and penrose, >where hawkings, noting himself a positivist of sorts, >suggested penrose, the mathematician, was a platonist. i >don't recall penrose's response, unfortunately!).
This also just in! (DATELINE 325 AD NICEA) -- Arius, a priest in Alexandria, held that Jesus was a creation of the Father: "There was a time when the Son was not," sang he and his followers, setting their theology to catchy tunes. The first being to be created, Jesus was nonetheless only a creature, according to Arius. He was not eternal. Bishop Alexander of Alexandria has condemned Arius' doctrine, saying that Jesus, the Word, existed eternally with the Father, was divine, and could not be created. Who can argue with THAT? Alexander and his aide, Athanasius, believed that by denying Christ's deity, Arianism threatened the core of Christian faith. Alexander had Arius removed from his post. Arius sought and won support from other bishops of the East. Now a council has been called at Nicea to settle the controversy. It is very important to the state of the planet. Film at 11. Ken.
