• Captain Aggravated
      link
      fedilink
      English
      310 hours ago

      That’s from that video about flipping a sphere inside out that I’m sure someone thinks is an important and useful concept.

      • Kogasa
        link
        fedilink
        79 hours ago

        It’s interesting because it’s highly counter-intuitive that such a thing is possible. It’s not supposed to be useful except as an example of a false intuition, which can remind us to be careful in our reasoning.

        • Captain Aggravated
          link
          fedilink
          English
          -28 hours ago

          “Such a thing is possible” It kind of isn’t though? It’s a sphere that can pass through itself but not be sharply creased…how are these rules not just made up?

          • Kogasa
            link
            fedilink
            47 hours ago

            Specifically, the thing that exists is a regular homotopy of immersions from the standard embedding to its opposite. The “rules” aren’t supposed to be self evident, they’re part of a broader context in topology

            • Captain Aggravated
              link
              fedilink
              English
              -77 hours ago

              “Our society has enabled people to go to college for too long without actually contributing anything.”

              • Kogasa
                link
                fedilink
                46 hours ago

                Yeah, basic graduate level math is a lot more useful than whatever you do with your life to warrant such an attitude.

                • Captain Aggravated
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  -46 hours ago

                  Oh really? Let’s try a thought experiment, shall we?

                  In Universe A, let’s round up everyone with at least a master’s degree in math and shoot them.

                  In Universe B, let’s round up all the mechanics and shoot them.

                  Which one goes to shit faster?

                  • Kogasa
                    link
                    fedilink
                    45 hours ago

                    Did they teach you how to formulate thought experiments in the shop?

        • Captain Aggravated
          link
          fedilink
          English
          -39 hours ago

          I’m not actually sure if it isn’t actual bullshit. Like, start at Matt Parker/Numberphile “And if you keep doing this sequence you’ll notice it comes up with every other prime number.” sort of stuff, head off the deep end and then keep going.