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Mathew Forstater wrote: 
  
> ...the methodology of Holmes and Dupin should be taken seriously. 
 
Soshichi Uchii of Kyoto University, Japan, argues that there is a close 
affinity between the logical methods of Sherlock Holmes and W.S.Jevons. 
Uchii's paper on "Sherlock Holmes and Probabilistic Induction" can be found 
at 
 
http://www.bun.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~suchii/holmes_1.html 
 
Mat also wrote: 
 
>  
> It should be stated, however, that Poe emphasizes the importance of  
> imagination over mathematics, and that the best analysis combines the  
> two, wouldn't you say Yuri?   
>  
 
What you probably have in mind is Dupin's description of the Minister: "As 
poet *and* mathematician, he would reason well; as mere mathematician, he 
could not have reasoned at all..." (And Dupin is a spokesman for Poe's 
views, isn't he?)  
 
I believe the economics content of _The Purloined Letter_ hasn't been 
exhausted by the discussion in the present thread. IMHO the story is also 
relevant to the development of oligopoly models (cf. Dupin's discourse on a 
reasoner playing against simpletons of varying degrees). 
 
Yuri 
 
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