Jamesian Philosophy Refreshed

  I thought of using this for my next Christmas card, but decided against. So I'll just put it here.  And, no, Gilbert stole it from me.  I am the very model of a modern antlered caribou, (And “caribou” means just the same as “reindeer” we just thought you knew), I’ve studied elves adorable, I know the toys historical From stick-and-hoop to Buzz Lightyear in order categorical. [Pause] I’m very well acquainted too with matters astronomical, Homeward I seek Polaris for some guidance cartographical. About the starwatch websites too I’m teeming with a lot of news, With many cheerful facts about the numbering of webpage views. CHORUS: “He’s many cheerful facts about the numbering of webpage views.” And so on matters animal, on ruminants and how-de-doo I am the very model of a modern antlered caribou. ou.”

  Years ago, I watched a DVD of a musical about a mathematician's struggle to prove Fermat's Last Theorem.  I believe it was called "Fermat's Last Tango."  It passed through my mind, then and often since, that it would be easy to write a song for a musical on such a theme using the tune to Gilbert and Sullivan's "Modern Major General," a tune designed precisely to allow for complicated exposition. Alas! "Fermat's Last Tango" didn't follow this policy. The tunes like the words were all new. Good for them. But the idea has stuck with me. It has come to this. When squaring A and B and C, it sometimes works out right you see, Both when they push n up to three it never quite goes through: dear me! Now I shall prove just why this stands,  and get rewards in Krugerrands. The task involves elliptic curves  and forms that they call modul-urves, I'll borrow freely from the guys  Who've won each year the Abel Prize. Now: since old Rome...