From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Msuck: nntp://news.gmane.io/gmane.science.mathematics.categories/3163 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: "V. Schmitt" Newsgroups: gmane.science.mathematics.categories Subject: Re: cracks and pots Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2006 14:37:25 +0100 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: main.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Trace: ger.gmane.org 1241019130 7517 80.91.229.2 (29 Apr 2009 15:32:10 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@ger.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:32:10 +0000 (UTC) To: categories@mta.ca Original-X-From: rrosebru@mta.ca Mon Mar 27 03:07:23 2006 -0400 Return-path: Envelope-to: categories-list@mta.ca Delivery-date: Mon, 27 Mar 2006 03:07:23 -0400 Original-Received: from Majordom by mailserv.mta.ca with local (Exim 4.52) id 1FNloG-0005rL-Ke for categories-list@mta.ca; Mon, 27 Mar 2006 03:06:40 -0400 X-Accept-Language: en-us, en Original-Sender: cat-dist@mta.ca Precedence: bulk X-Keywords: X-UID: 109 Original-Lines: 44 Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.science.mathematics.categories:3163 Archived-At: David Yetter wrote: > Fellow categorists, > > Jim Stasheff has been appealing to me to comment on the role of > category theory in knot theory in the context of the =91cracks and pots= =92 > thread. > [lengthy quotations omitted...] Hi David, then, i again, to precise my thoughts. Knot theory is trivially a good thing. That category has to do with it does not surprise anybody reading this thread. You can relax... Personnaly, and as a matter of taste, i would not put for instance polymorphic types is the same bag. But... ok, say. Now that theoretical physics, computer science, phylo., a mix of those, or whatever? , is used to justify poor "categorical" work is, in my view, an existing problem. More or less everyone is conscious of it (come on!...) but so far that has not been publically debated. I am happy that it happens now. So I am sorry not share the enthusiastic mood that everything is good in maths and I wish that our colleagues "categorists" take categories... humm... seriously. Again, i should not be the one who says that. Best, Vincent. PS: since you averted your book - can we get a good price?