> Whatever the make-up of the tower below, if it is stable, we can always place the top brick so that it extends half way into the void.
I don't understand the meaning of this statement. If a brick extending halfway into the void is stable, and we can place a brick extending halfway into the void on any stable brick, then we can create an infinitely overhanging tower by placing an infinite series of bricks each of which extends halfway over the void relative to the tower beneath it.
Clearly this is not the case. What does 'stable' mean (precisely) in the above quote?
I don't understand the meaning of this statement. If a brick extending halfway into the void is stable, and we can place a brick extending halfway into the void on any stable brick, then we can create an infinitely overhanging tower by placing an infinite series of bricks each of which extends halfway over the void relative to the tower beneath it.
Clearly this is not the case. What does 'stable' mean (precisely) in the above quote?