![[leibniz-insults-pure-mathematics.jpg]] Leibniz as an extreme example of a "non-mathematician." The following quote is absolutely perfect. A narrative version of the Leibniz story from On the Lamb and the old Wall belongs in lost+found/2/3. The Universal Computer by Martin Davis has some amazing background content on Leibniz's thought process and it feels much more modern and relatable than expected. Apparently Leibniz was running around his entire life being like "Guys, we have to build The Thing." He called it his "wonderful idea" and no one gave a shit or noticed. The story of his "Universal characteristic" is badass. This guy absolutely knew what was possible and nobody understood wtf he was talking about. Leibniz needs to be a character in the book. His (otherwise unusual) belief that this is the "best of all possible worlds" will be explained as the same suspicion the 0 character has: not as an idealistic religious or rationalist dogma, but as an ever present suspicion that the world may actually be a game, a simulation, or a joke by the Authors of the universe, whoever they are. Put the Leibniz story in /bin/ary. Leibniz and the I\*ching. "God damn this wig is itchy" was on the Wall version of this story 8 years ago and I didn't even notice the obvious "I Ching" pun when the hexagrams and binary came up two seconds after. ![[leibniz-i-ching.jpg]] ![[leibniz-binary-creation-4 1.jpg]] ![[leibniz-binary-creation-6.jpg]] > _All programmers are optimists._ > -Fred Brooks, The Mythical Man-Month > (The opening quote of the book "Leibniz on Binary") 曰 日 月 ![[leibniz-binary-creation-7.jpg]]