4 ms·
Reminds me of a conversation with a late friend. We wondered: what would the most academic book possible look like? It could have: one brief, vague, and hedge
by hdivider 2y ago
Reminds me of a conversation with a late friend. We wondered: what would the most academic book possible look like?
It could have: one brief, vague, and hedged statement, supported by a crapton of superscript references -- which constitute the rest of the book.
So like:
"Chapter 1:
Some things about the universe are at least partly knowable.<references 1-100,000>
The End."
- lmpdev 2y agoReminds me of DFW’s Infinite Jest (although I wouldn’t describe it as brief or vague)
- endominus 2y agoThe philosopher in me immediately objects, "How can you tell if something is 'knowable'? What constitutes knowledge in this model?"
- AnimalMuppet 2y agoThat's covered in the footnotes...
- kergonath 2y agoIt would not be academic without self-congratulation and lofty promises.
- adammarples 2y ago1. The world* is* everything† that is the case‡