the-largest-number
Original: the-largest-number on Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Transcript
Panel 1:
Teacher (older man with glasses, at front of class): So, in the simple case, we can prove by induction that there is no largest number.
Student (younger man in foreground): WHAT?!
Panel 2:
Student: UGH. I HATE WHEN GOD COMES TO CLASS.
Panel 3:
Teacher: Induction is an invalid form of proof. There is a largest number. It's called "splorch." It just never comes up because it's so big.
Panel 4:
Teacher: Then what's splorch plus one?
Teacher (replying): It's just splorch. It's maxed out.
Panel 5:
Student: What about splorch minus one?
Teacher: That's called "foofercorg."
Panel 6:
Teacher: All real numbers have stupid names. Q.E.D.
Panel 7:
Student: Shouldn't you be hanging out with theology class or something?
God (the teacher): Those guys are weird.
Panel 8:
God/teacher (small reply): *sigh*
Votey:
A speech bubble reads: AND SOOOOO BORING.
Below it floats an oval/egg-like shape ringed with small triangular spikes or holes around its edge (an abstract, possibly divine, form).
Teacher (older man with glasses, at front of class): So, in the simple case, we can prove by induction that there is no largest number.
Student (younger man in foreground): WHAT?!
Panel 2:
Student: UGH. I HATE WHEN GOD COMES TO CLASS.
Panel 3:
Teacher: Induction is an invalid form of proof. There is a largest number. It's called "splorch." It just never comes up because it's so big.
Panel 4:
Teacher: Then what's splorch plus one?
Teacher (replying): It's just splorch. It's maxed out.
Panel 5:
Student: What about splorch minus one?
Teacher: That's called "foofercorg."
Panel 6:
Teacher: All real numbers have stupid names. Q.E.D.
Panel 7:
Student: Shouldn't you be hanging out with theology class or something?
God (the teacher): Those guys are weird.
Panel 8:
God/teacher (small reply): *sigh*
Votey:
A speech bubble reads: AND SOOOOO BORING.
Below it floats an oval/egg-like shape ringed with small triangular spikes or holes around its edge (an abstract, possibly divine, form).
Alt text
An eight-panel comic in a classroom. A bespectacled older man teaching at the front says, "So, in the simple case, we can prove by induction that there is no largest number." A younger student exclaims, "WHAT?!" then thinks, "UGH. I HATE WHEN GOD COMES TO CLASS," revealing the teacher is God. God insists, "Induction is an invalid form of proof. There is a largest number. It's called 'splorch.' It just never comes up because it's so big." Asked what splorch plus one is, God replies, "It's just splorch. It's maxed out." Asked about splorch minus one, God says, "That's called 'foofercorg,'" adding, "All real numbers have stupid names. Q.E.D." The student asks, "Shouldn't you be hanging out with theology class or something?" God answers, "Those guys are weird," then quietly sighs. The joke: God is bad at math and makes up absurd names for numbers. Votey aftercomic: a speech bubble says, "AND SOOOOO BORING," above a floating spiky egg-shaped divine form, implying God finds theology students dull.
Transcribed by Claude Opus 4.8.