On Wed, 27 Oct 1999 11:17:49 -0700 bill fancher <fancher at pacbell.net>
writes:
>> Thus, Lacan is
>> busted for "confus[ing] irrational numbers with imaginary numbers,
>> while claiming to be 'precise.'" Golly, doesn't that prove that
>Lacan
>> is a worthless faker!
>
>I pondered this question and came up with the following answer:
>
>Yes.
>
>This is a trivial distinction and anyone failing to grasp it can't
>have
>anything interesting to say about mathematics. Anyone who does fail to
>grasp it and then says something about mathematics under guise of
>authority is a worthless faker. QED.
I would second that. It may well be that Lacan had some interesting and worthwhile ideas such as his notion that the unconscious is structured like a language. But his use of mathematics as a means for bolstering his intellectual authority when it is obvious that he knew little about the subject (the distinction between irrational numbers and imaginary numbers is one that the average high school student is supposed to be able to understand) suggests that he was also something of a charlatan. Sokal & Bricment made telling point in their book when they found many of these pomo thinkers on the one hand were often quite critical of scientism but would on the other hand attempt to reinforce their own intellectual authority through the use of examples from mathematics and the natural sciences. In other words they are guilty of the very sins that they charge others with committing.
Jim Farmelant
>
>--
>bill
>
___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.