Hello Tatiana.

The way you describe your character sounds a little bit like mine:-)

I am a 59-year old mathematics and physics teacher at a high school in Helsinki Finland. I originally studied mathematics and physics, but later added to it some computer sciences. I first worked as a salesman for medical diagnostic equipment, then 17 years as a software developer in a couple of companies. Now I have been teaching for 12 years.

I never studied philosophy at the university, but I always liked reading old philosophical works like Plato, Descartes, Spinoza, Marx etc. I know or understand nothing about modern philosophy. However, I would be very interested to know what kind of research you are doing on the philosophy of science. What is your speciality in mathematics?

Kind regards,
Heikki Koskinen

Hello Tatiana!
I am thrilled to have come across your profile. I was hoping to friend someone from Russia via snail mail. I hope that once you look over my profile you would find me of interest too. My name is Renee Blazeski, 51 on Monday. I live in America with my husband, Justin and grown son, Christopher who both I adore. My husband does not enjoy the hobby of pen pals but if he did I think he would enjoy chatting with you as he is a Physics major and finds math to be fun. Not exactly a description most people would give to math. I say this as I see you lecture math. As for me, I would have to say I have trouble with a calculator. Have you ever heard the saying "opposites attract?" Well that would be Justin and myself. Now history would be my subject of choice. I will be honest and say I am not high on the totem poll of a philosophical thinker or speaker but more of just a down to earth simple but NOT simple minded person who loves life and all it has to offer. Again please look over my profile and if you would care to share life over letters I would be glad to be your friend......Wishing you a wonderful weekend.......Renee :o)

No, there is nothing wrong with the clips it was just that I was enjoying them so much that I was diverted from answering your question.

If it was a subject that did not matter then, of course, I would not be embarrassed but this is Fawlty Towers and things don't get much more important than that. I have always thought that if I ever go on Mastermind I would choose to answer questions on Fawlty Towers but now it seems that I will have to come up with a different specialised subject.

Sorry I got diverted by watching "The Germans" and then "The Hotel Inspectors" etc.

Well you were right about two things: -
(a) I had never heard of MBF, and
(b) the Wittgenstein quote is from the Rat (or Siberian hamster?) episode.

I'm not bothered about not knowing (a) but deeply embarrassed about getting (b) wrong.

Just a normal college, my love of science (especially the history of science) and dislike of everything philosophical came much later.

Basil to Manuel, "it's not a proposition by Wittgenstein". Is it the one where he is trying to explain the plan for stopping Sybil from finding out that he has been betting on the horses?

So who is the English philosopher? It can't be Russell as we all know about him, it can't be Hume as he was Scottish, how about G.E.Moore? (I hope it is as it would give me an excuse for sharing one of my favourite quotes!).

Fawlty Towers of course, I suggest that an episode or two is an effective antidote to an afternoon spent studying Wittgenstein?