FOM: certainty

[Martin Davis]

At 12:36 PM 12/22/98 +0100, F. Xavier Noria wrote:
>Dear FOMers,
>
> | > Randy Pollack wrote:
> | > >
> | > > Vladimir Sazonov said he is "a permanent opponent of those who assert
> | > > existence of absolute mathematical truth."  I don't know what
> | > > "absolute truth" means.
> | > 
> | > I too! Does anybody know?
> | > 
> |  I don't either. But "2+2=4" seems to be absolutely true.
> | 
> | Andrzej Trybulec
>
>I cannot understand what "2" or "+" or "4" or, even, "=" would mean, I'm
>afraid. I am sorry that I cannot figure out what the "set of the natural
>numbers" could be and what "truth" concerning that concept would signify.
>
>Nevertheless, we would agree if your claim was that "+(ss0, ss0) = ssss0"
>is PA-demonstrable or the like.
>
>Have a good Christmas time!
>
>-- Xavier
>

I fail to understand why the formulas of PA, the set of axioms, and the
notion of a proof in PA are considered to be easier to understand than the
set of natural numbers and its members.

Best to all,
Martin