Hi Bill,
Your description of the path taken by an automated solver is agreeable to me. And I assume by your comment that you have set up a "straw man" that you are no longer asserting that a given position might be properly adjudged winnable or unwinnable in a properly designed solver depending upon whether it is treated as an original or is a derived position.
As to "intractable", I don't necessarily agree that the word connotes "resistant" or "difficult". I do suppose if one were to hear the word applied to an individual's personality, i. e. "You're being somewhat intractable about this, aren't you?", it would connote stubbornness or obstinacy. But then so would the word "unmanageable" in the same context. Just so we understand that when we say "impossible" or "unwinnable", we mean we are guaranteeing that no one is ever going to find a solution to this position. Maybe a better word, not having any pejorative connotation, would be "indeterminate". Or "no verdict". Or "hung jury".
Best regards, -------------------Adrian
Received on Wed Jul 03 2002 - 05:06:26 IDT