Date sent: Mon, 10 May 1999 00:00:37 -0700 From: KMO <kmo@c-realm.com> Organization: C-Realm To: virus@lucifer.com Subject: Re: virus: what do we call them? Send reply to: virus@lucifer.com
>
>
> "Joe E. Dees" wrote:
>
> > I forgot to mention axioms; this isn't TOO mathematical, and
> > maybe postulates (which might be).
>
> I LIKE "postulates."
>
> -KMO
>
> http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?db=web1913&term=Postulate&config=define
>
>
>
> Postulate \Pos"tu*late\, n. [L. postulatum a
> demand,
> request, prop. p. p. of postulare to demand,
> prob. a
> dim. of poscere to demand, prob. for porcscere;
> akin to
> G. forschen to search, investigate, Skr. prach
> to ask,
> and L. precari to pray: cf. F. postulat. See
> Pray.] 1.
> Something demanded or asserted; especially, a
> position or supposition assumed without proof,
> or one
> which is considered as self-evident; a truth to
> which
> assent may be demanded or challenged, without
> argument or evidence.
>
> 2. (Geom.) The enunciation of a self-evident
> problem,
> in distinction from an axiom, which is the
> enunciation
> of a self-evident theorem.
>
> The distinction between a postulate and an
> axiom lies
> in this, -- that the latter is admitted to be
> self-evident,
> while the former may be agreed upon between two
>
> reasoners, and admitted by both, but not as
> proposition which it would be impossible to
> deny.
> --Eng. Cyc.
> Source: Webster's
> Revised Unabridged Dictionary
>
I suppose "level-3'ers" could then consider themselves postulants
(or at least posturers! ;~)