>Wed, 23 Jul 1997 Hara Ra <harara@shamanics.com> Wrote:
>
>>I am stating that IMO the platonic notion that the entire Mandelbrot
>>set exists is unreal, and what is real is our limited representations
>>of same in our physical brains, which are finite.
And, of course, the limited physical representations we create.
>What's this "our" business? Your chain of reasoning invariably leads to the
>conclusion that the only thing that's real is your thoughts, an obvious
>absurdity. On the other hand, If you'd said the only think that's real is
>John Clark's thoughts then it would be a much more reasonable theory.
No, he's saying that things which don't exist in reality can exist only as
concepts in our mind.
>Leaving solipsism aside, it's possible that you're correct, but is there any
>reason to think that The Mandelbrot Set is less real than the chair you're
>sitting on right now?
Yes. I can find a chair in physical reality. I've yet to find a Mandelbrot
set, and have strong reasons to believe I'll never find one. The Mandelbrot
set is more analogous to the *concept* of chair, which also exists only in
our minds. In this case, however, there are no representations.