----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- 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 ------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]