Math Is Fun Forum

JaneFairfax

Member

Registered: 2007-02-23

Posts: 6,868

The economist, the logician, and the mathematician

There are three men on a train. One of them is an economist and one of them is a logician and one of them is a mathematician. And they have just crossed the border into Scotland. From the window of the train, they see a brown cow standing in a field with its side facing the train.

The economist says, “Look, the cows in Scotland are brown.”

The logician says, “No. There are cows in Scotland of which one, at least, is brown.”

The mathematician says, “No. There is at least one cow in Scotland, of which one side appears to be brown.”

Daniel123

Member

Registered: 2007-05-23

Posts: 663

Re: The economist, the logician, and the mathematician

That joke was in Simon Singh's Fermat's Last Theorem .

JaneFairfax

Member

Registered: 2007-02-23

Posts: 6,868

Re: The economist, the logician, and the mathematician

I’ve actually read that book. But that was so long ago now that I totally forgot the joke in it.

However I do remember this couplet by the Danish poet Piet Hein, which is quoted in Simon Singh’s book:

A problem worthy of attack
Proves its worth by fighting back.

Such a beautiful quote! If it were a picture, I’d want to frame it up for sure.