Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!spool.mu.edu!cs.umn.edu!uc!shamash!hare!ddh From: ddh@hare.cdc.com (Dan Horsfall) Newsgroups: comp.misc Subject: Re: it's turtles all the way down Message-ID: <32305@shamash.cdc.com> Date: 15 Apr 91 21:50:31 GMT References: <455@txsil.lonestar.org> <1991Apr14.232710.8841@newshost.anu.edu.au> <1991Apr15.002132.29831@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu> Sender: usenet@shamash.cdc.com Reply-To: ddh@dash.udev.cdc.com (Dan Horsfall) Organization: Control Data Corp, Arden Hills, MN Lines: 29 In article , meissner@osf.org (Michael Meissner) writes: > In article <1991Apr15.002132.29831@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu> > akbloom@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu (Keith Bloom) writes: > > | rjm@vulcan.anu.edu.au (Robert J. McArthur) writes: > > | An older reference: Carl Sagan, "Broca's Brain", 1978, ch. 24: Gott > | and the Turtles. > | > | Can anyone find an even older one? > > I heard it attributed to Henry James. > -- I have Hawking's "A Brief History of Time" open in front of me at this very instant, and I quote therefrom: "A well-known scientist (some say it was Bertrand Russell)..." It's the opening sentence of the first paragraph, Chapter 1, page 1. The early poster who recollected it being "near the front of the book" understated his case somewhat :-). -- Horse + Control Data Corporation Dan Horsfall +1-612-482-4622 + 4201 Lexington Ave North Internet ddh@dash.udev.cdc.com + Arden Hills MN 55126 USA