[Haskell-cafe] [Off-topic] How unimportant it is whether submarines can swim (EWD1056)

[Jason Dusek]

It is an interesting piece and I'm glad you went to the effort
to translate it.

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- ...the question whether...

+ ...the question of whether or not...

To use "could" is to form either the past or the subjunctive.

Within a long sentence, we might prefer to contribute an article
"on" a topic as opposed to "about" a topic.

Burning is one of those things that is often taken to be all or
nothing; so "equally burning" is infelicitous. One could say
"similarly burning" or "likewise burning" to mean, it is also
burning.

So:

+ It has already been a few years or so ago now since the
+ editors of a somewhat obscure magazine asked me to contribute
+ an article on the question of whether or not computers can
+ think. I did not feel like doing that and I explained my
+ refusal with the remark that I found the suggested topic just
+ as unimportant as the similarly burning question of whether or
+ not submarines can swim.

****

It is hard to make the idiom "reckoned on" work in the
parenthetical passage; there are alternatives.

- I had reckoned without my host: the editor —a sociologist—
- wrote me back, that he found that last question very
- interesting as well!

+ I had not considered my audience: the editor -- a sociologist
+ -- wrote back, to say that he found the last question very
+ interesting as well!"

****

"with which popular believe" -> "with which popular belief"
As remarked by Gwern.

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- A single factor of ten is already a difference between day and
- night...

+ A single factor of ten is like night and day...

****

It is important that an EM dash have spaces to both sides of it. For example:

- —in anthropomorphic terminology also called "memory size"—

+ -- in anthropomorphic terminology also called "memory size" --

****

One may use "such as" and "like" when providing examples; one
uses "as" and "like" when forming comparisons. ("Icarus flew
like a bird." or "Icarus flew as the birds do." but not "Icarus
flew such as a bird.").

- The advantage of this poetic license is that it allows us to
- put an algebraic expression as (a+b)/c, a program fragment as
- x := x+1, and a decimal number like 729 all three under the
- same heading "formula".

+ The advantage of this poetic license is that it allows us to
+ put an algebraic expression as (a+b)/c, a program fragment as
+ x := x+1, and a decimal number like 729 all three under the
+ same heading "formula".

****

- Such a formal universe is therefore as novelty radical...

+ Such a formal universe is therefore a radical novelty...

****

- The most salient feature of the formal universe is, however,
- that nothing else than...

+ The most salient feature of the formal universe is, however,
+ that nothing other than...

+ The most salient feature of the formal universe, however, is
+ that nothing besides...

****

- Our traditional argues are mixed, viz. partly formal and
- partly verbal...

+ Our traditional ways of arguing are mixed, partly formal and
+ partly verbal...

****

- In that vision, a radical change of course in mathematics
- would leave in the long term footprints in the vast majority
- of our intellectual life.

+ In that vision, a radical change in mathematics would in time
+ leave an imprint in most areas of our intellectual life.

****

- I expect such a radical change of course.

+ I expect such a radical change, of course.

****
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There would be a certain appropriateness in making the text more
"Texan". The title would then be:

  It don't matter none whether subs can swim or not

but it'd really take a different American to see it through.

--
Jason Dusek
pgp // solidsnack // C1EBC57DC55144F35460C8DF1FD4C6C1FED18A2B