
How to explain Gödel's Incompleteness Theorems to a 12-year-old - rndn
http://romyasks.com/post/112759334841/romy-asks-what-does-math-not-explain
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anigbrowl
No, this is about how to _describe_ Godel's incompleteness theorems to a 12
year old. The moment s/he asks why or how Godel's two papers managed to
demonstrate this insight, the conversation is going to come to a sudden halt.
I was hoping for at least a cursory reference to Godel numbering or Peano
arithmetic, but the actual reasoning behind Godel's theorem's didn't even get
a look-in.

I think a more productive way to communicate the idea might be to leave a copy
of GEB sitting about in a conspicuous place but hiss that it's 'unsuitable for
small children' in response to any questions and leave the room on some
fictional and complex errand shortly afterwards.

