>>>>> "S" == Sean Russell <srussell / rhino.f01.r6.fs.fed.us> writes:

S> but this gives me a "undefined method `:initialize' for class `A'" error.  
S> Why?  "class A ; puts :initialize.inspect ; end" works, so I'd expect 
S> :initialize.inpect as a method argument for alias_method to work, too.

 Why ?

 This is not because #inspect is defined for Symbol, that its result must
fatally work with alias_method.

 If you want to make it work with alias_method, just use 

  :initialize.to_s or :initialize.to_i


Guy Decoux