Aardvark and Bandicoot, Chapter 13
Fri 13 May 2016 by mskala Tags used: programming, math, philosophy, aardvark, bandicootIn which we Accept our Limitations with Humility
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Bandicoot: Friend Aardvark, Friend Aardvark! I've added that extra double-double feature you wanted in the parser!
Aardvark: Really?
B: Yes!
A: Really really, Friend Bandicoot?
B: Of course! Well. Almost.
A: I see.
B: Shall I demonstrate it?
A: It seems likely that you're about to do so, yes.
B: Friend Computer?
Computer: READY
B: Friend Computer, "1.999 + 2.003."
C: 3.996
A: That wasn't "2+2."
B: Well, it almost was.
A: I'm not sure what "almost" is supposed to mean in this context.
B: It was within better than 0.2%.
A: It also isn't the correct answer, even to the inaccurate question.
B: But 0.2%, Friend Aardvark!
A: Friend Computer?
C: READY
B: I don't think it's reasonable to expect anything to be infinitely precise.
A: Friend Computer, "2+2."
B: We live in an imperfect world, slaves in the chains of sin, and to dust shall--
C: PC LOAD LETTER
B: --momentum and velocity inseparable under the Uncertainty Principle of Friend Heisenberg, by which the cat may or may not have--
A: What does that even mean?
B: --and their foot shall slip in time, for such grapes of Sodom--Hmm? Oh, "PC" stands for "paper cassette," and in North America the standard paper size is called "letter" paper.
A: I mean I don't understand quantum physics, and neither do you, Friend Bandicoot.
B: Well, of course not. We're only dumb animals.
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