[comp.compression] Integer not expressable in less than 13 words: THE ANSWER

phr@lightning.Berkeley.EDU (Paul Rubin) (04/20/91)

Surely you all know the answer to this oldie.  The originators
of mathematical logic worried about it a lot.  There is no answer!
Or what would the following number be?

  ONE PLUS THE SMALLEST NUMBER NOT EXPRESSIBLE IN LESS THAN THIRTEEN WORDS

Whatever it is, it is obviously expressible in < 13 words,
giving a paradox.