First Blog

  A New Category of Impossible Problems Consider a new category of problems, impossible because they exist without clear solutions. In some cases, there are no possible solutions. Many of these problems are deeply embedded in systems, often going unnoticed or unrecognized. Corporate or national interests can easily conceal their presence or remain unaware of them. There may come a day when systems become so vast that they must be rejected, as their failure could lead to global disaster. Here are five examples, many of which involve significant government involvement in their creation. A. Global System Dependencies No company should be so globally pervasive that a failure in its systems could cause a worldwide catastrophe. This is particularly true for critical systems like airline booking, television networks, and health systems. For example, a technical issue identified by global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike in its antivirus software for Microsoft Windows devices could have had cata

  Solution Methods of Last Resort G Donald Allen 1. Introduction . You and the team can't solve the complex problem. All the engineers, all the accountants, and all the plant managers can agree on nothing definite. Every tentative solution you’ve offered has been rejected by the higher-ups as flawed. Call this a Humpty Dumpty problem [1] .   When up against impossibility or at least complexity, the problem-solver looks for any clue to help. Just a trace of inspiration may do. When you’re trying to move a mountain, only a morsel of information can help. What is singularly important here is that these notes are not confined to normal propositional logic for consideration or resolution. They work with any problem-solving tool you may prefer, from beliefs to faith to emotions, to all. To this point, we’ve already discussed dozens of solution methods. In this chapter, we add on the final bunch, dominated by dream states and thought experiments. 2. The Usual Suspects. You

In previous posts I discussed impossible problems and what we do about them.  Some people think they are rare, and perhaps we should focus on the countless problems we can at least try to solve.  Here is an update on just the language aspect of impossibility.   If you think impossible problems are exceptions to the rule, consider the list below. Each suggests some facet of problems for which solutions are unavailable. Our language is infused with impossibility. Our world is covered by impossibility as a glacier covers the ground. Our lives live with impossibility, and we make due.   This is possibly a triumph over impossibility.

Problem Solving – the pathway to the impossible Life is problem solving.   From work to school to religion; in love in pleasure, in strife, we are always solving something.  Some problems are simple, some tricky, some poorly defined, some complex.  Many are impossible. We have not set about to discuss school math problems.  In a sense, these are the simplest of all because much of the toolkit needed for solving them have been presented in the course.  These problems are those with the greatest clarity, a unique solution, and for them there is always a final resolution.  You get it or you don’t.  We have an array of problem solving methods, from logic to emotion, from instinct to intuition, from random to programmed, and more.  These methods are applied individually or in combination, often generating intrinsic conflicts, resulting is partials solutions, no solution, personal solutions, new problems, new situation, and impossible situations.  Results can be satisfying or frustrating,

An eternal impossible problem/situation of the conflict variety Suppose there is an ascending, aggressive appearing, nation emerging and building military might. Their threat is ominous though they assert no claims for territory are in their plans. The developments are only for defense. What is the response of the other nations? There are two. Type A. We should fortify this location or making alliances with nearby nations thereby hedging in this imminent threat, making clear our intent to delimit any strategies they may have, and demonstrating the severe cost to territorial ventures. Let us negotiate from strength. Type B. We should not fortify because it will anger and possibly even enhance their build-up making them more dangerous. It may even trigger a venture for territorial gain. Let us accept their word that they do not seek aggression with other nations. Let us negotiate from good will It is remarkable how consistent these strategies with variations have sustained over most

Inconsistencies with God and more Impossible Problems.  In religion, the argument from inconsistent revelations is an argument against the existence of God. It asserts that it is unlikely that God exists because many theologians and faithful adherents have produced conflicting and mutually exclusive revelations.   While the common argument states that since a person not privy to any particular revelation, he/she must either accept it or reject it based solely upon the authority of its proponent.    Indeed, there is the question of authority or faith. The argument continues that because there is no way for a mortal to resolve these conflicting claims by any form of validation, it is wise to reserve judgment.   That is, rejecting God’s existence is the proper and natural recourse.  This argument clearly is based on the existence of a God that reveals himself clearly and consistently to all, that these revelations remain constant without reinterpretation and without change.