anomaly

[Mel Wilson]

On Tue, 12 May 2015 02:35:23 +1000, Steven D'Aprano wrote:

> On Mon, 11 May 2015 11:37 pm, Mel Wilson wrote:
> 
>> On Sun, 10 May 2015 14:12:44 -0500, boB Stepp wrote:
>> 
>>> I have to admit being surprised by this, too. I am just now studying
>>> on how to write my own classes in Python, and have come to realize
>>> that doing this is *possible*, but the *surprise* to me is why the
>>> language design allowed this to actually be done.
>> 
>> Read Cory Doctorow lately on the War Against General Purpose Computing,
>> where a bunch of people who don't really understand are trying to make
>> it impossible for any computer to do something that is The Wrong Thing.
> 
> I think you are conflating two different ideas of "the Wrong Thing".

I don't think so.  A formal solution to a problem, i.e. a solution coded 
as a computer program, is limited to the things that can be done using 
formal techniques.  Whether it's people trying to enact their social 
standards in code, or whether it's people trying to nail the door shut 
against everything they "don't expect", or "think is illogical", the 
limits will still be there.

	Mel.