On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 08:06:08 +1100, Rick Marshall <> wrote:
<snip/>
> and one final point - back to the sum is greater than the whole. i was
> thinking about this in terms of an element algebra. group theory defines
> a group by operations (verbs :) ) that when applied to members of the
> group (usually, but i guess not necessarily, 2 members - could be
> ternary operators) result in a member of the group. integer + integer =>
> integer. but if you have a group member you have no way of knowing if it
> was derived by operation (and there may be an infinite number of
> contruction operations), which one, or does it just exist in it's own
> right. the number 4 as an integer has different properties to the
> numbers 1 and 3, but can be constructed from them.
Bad analogy Rick. In Group theory groups are, by definition, a set of
elements (possibly infinite) that is closed over some operator.
<snip/>
--
Peter Hunsberger
