John Nash, Newton and F. Lee Baily walk into a bar.

[Rlafrog]

I am (relatively) new to your forum and do not know where to post my question. I am kinda well-read in Physics and Math, but very not educated or trained in either. I am personally interested in the fuzzy area where Math, Physics and (patent) Law cross paths.

The Problem:

"I need help gentlemen." F. Lee Bailey begins, "My client is accused of stabbing someone with the point of a pencil." "Easy defense," states Nash, "...a point can't live in the real world." "Not so, Johnny boy!" replies Newton. "Don't play games with me, Issac" replies Nash. "I'd like to see you prove it." At which point, Newton pulls an Olive (O) from his Martini, sets it on the bar, pokes it gently with a toothpick (T) and sends it rolling across the surface and into Nash's lap.

If the Olive lives in the world of O(x,y,z) and the toothpick lives in the world of T(x,y,z), and they both live in the Bar world of B(x,y,z); Then, ...when Newton pokes the olive with the tooth pick, a force of F is transmitted from his hand to single a point of the toothpick, T(x,y,z), where F acts upon the olive (O) at the single point of O(x,y,z) where this single and specific point-of-contact determines the vector of the force acting upon the olive and causes the olive to rotate and translate in a specific direction into Nash's lap. (?)

The Question:

Can a single, one-dimension point live in the real world if it is shared by two solid bodies that live in the real world, where T(x,y,z) is-not-equal-to O(x,y,z) (?), but T(x,y,z) is-the-very-same point-as O(x,y,z) ?

I (generally) understand the Physics and Math of this question. I would be very interested to learn how the answer translates (pun intended) to the legal world. I would appreciate it if someone could point me to Math, Physics or Law literature/references that may discuss this notion or one similar to it.

 

[Drakkith]

What exactly are these different "worlds"?

 

[xAxis]

The "worlds" are the three dimensional euclidian spaces that occupy Olive and the toothpick. Unfortunately for Newton, Heisenbergs Uncertainty Principle says that not exact place is posible to determine, therefore events cannot happen in exactly one point in nature.

 

[Evo]

And with that, the thread is closed.

 

[LudusRex]

I am not qualified to provide a legal interpretation of this scenario. However, from a scientific perspective, the concept of a single, one-dimensional point existing in the real world is a complex and debated topic. In mathematics, points are considered to be abstract objects with no physical existence. In physics, points are often used as mathematical representations of physical objects, but they do not have a physical size or dimension.

In this scenario, the point of the toothpick and the point of the olive are considered to be the same point in space, but they are part of two separate physical objects. This raises questions about the nature of points and their existence in the physical world. Can a point truly exist if it is shared by two physical objects? Can a point have different properties depending on the object it is part of?

These questions do not have a definitive answer and may require further exploration and research in both math and physics. As for the legal implications, it would depend on the specific laws and regulations surrounding the use of points in legal arguments and cases. I would suggest consulting legal literature or seeking the advice of a legal expert for a more comprehensive understanding of this topic.