Larry Fontaine wrote:
> 
> Nothing can be proven without an assumption.

  That is poppycock !  If I smash your foot with a large brick one may
think I have an assumption that you will feel pain when I do so (unless
of course you are dead when it happens). The truth is that through
repeated observations and from personal experience I need no assumptions
to know that you are going to feel pain. Lots and lots of glorious,
excruciating, deep down to the bone, face whincing, voice screaming,
oh wonderful, beautiful pain.
  If I were to set up a demonstration in front of an audience that has
no idea as to what will happen you can be assured that when I raise the
brick and bring it down forcefully upon you bare naked foot that everyone
in attendance will KNOW that you have just experienced pain. There will
be no presumption on anyone's part where that is concerned. If anyone
doubts it (which is not the same as an assumption) they are welcome to
examine the severe distress on your face, your cries of anguish, and may
even examine the damaged member for evidence of tissue damage. I am not
assuming this because there is nothing that prevents me from knowing
otherwise.

Ergo assumption is not the burden of proof.

> Going along this tangent, one can also argue that morals cannot exist
> without bias. A religious value of right vs. wrong takes the position
> that good is good and evil is evil, period, but from the "evil"
> perspective, good is evil and evil is good.

The definition of evil is easy to explain because it is inextricably
tied to self preservation. It is in the common interest of everyone
to define that which may cause us harm and do what is necessary to
reduce the likelihood that it will do so. That which is harmful is
most often associated with evil.
 
People fear harm much as they do pain, physical or emotional, ergo
evil is bad, pain is bad, pain = evil, and one still equals one.

: )

> How does this relate to POVray? Some may say it doesn't, but it goes
> along the same line as the discussion about "Eve's first morn" in p.b.i
> that asks, "What makes something appear real?" That's why I decided to
> post it, anyway.

 I have posted my thoughts on what is needed to make a human figure
appear more life like on this server in the past and it was a long
winded oration indeed. I instead invite you to take a good long look
at your own skin. Note how the light plays off of it, of how the
patterns look in the shadows and in the direct light. Note the
complexity of it's surface texture and definition. Draw your own
conclusions. Mine say that it takes a very skillful artisan to
recreate a life like figure and not the least of which is defining
the cover of the figure let alone it's shape.

-- 
Ken Tyler

See my 850+ Povray and 3D Rendering and Raytracing Links at:
http://home.pacbell.net/tylereng/index.html

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