Definite problems

There are many way of telling this joke. Here's mine:

Three people apply for a job as a mathematician. They are each asked, "Are all odd numbers greater than 1 prime?"

The first applicant says, "Hmm... 3... 5... 7... 9 -- wait! 9 isn't prime. So no, all odd numbers greater than 1 aren't prime."

The second applicant says, "Hmm... 3... 5... 7... yep, all odd numbers greater than 1 are prime."

The third applicant says, "Hmm... 3... 5... 7... 9... If we define 9 to be prime...."

This may well be the funniest math joke I've ever heard.

But, though sucking the humor from this joke is like sucking the marrow from a sparrow's wingbone, I will try:

Humans have the ability to take evidence, even proof, that their opinion is wrong, and misinterpret it in a way that makes it evidence, maybe even proof, that their opinion is right. We should try not to use this ability.

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