Two Plus Two

2003-1-15 12:00:00

hawkiye55 wrote:
John, Truth is absolute, it is our perception that is subject to relativism or illusion. As an example 2+2 always equals 4 under any circumstances despite our perception.

Then John wrote:
The example you gave is defined to be absolute truth, but it only holds true is the abstract world of mathematics, and it is only absolutely true because we have AGREED that it is absolutely true. You can't even find two identical apples, let alone find two more to make four. In the physical universe, no things can be equal, because two objects do not contain the same set of molecules, nor to they occupy the same identical space.

Then we get to the definition of "+".

Sorry, I'm not buying.

JJ:
If 2+2=4 is only absolutely true because we have agreed upon it then we should be able to make it false by disagreeing. I would be interested in knowing how you could make two apples plus two apples into any sum other than four apples by not agreeing. If there are four apples sitting on a table it does not matter whether you agree or not. This does not alter the reality that four apples are sitting there.

Now, we are talking about apples as units, not weight or size. We all realize that no two apples are alike, but that has nothing to do with the point. Two apples do not have to be the same size and weight to be apples.