Arithmetic and Us

[Dark Lightning]

Psychological study suggests arithmetic is biologically-based and a natural consequence of our perception. There's always the question of whether mathematics exists within or without humans. Here's an interesting take.

https://phys.org/news/2023-07-psychological-arithmetic-biologically-based-natural-consequence.html

[billy rubin]

some animals pppear to have the ability to count, in an abstract sense

[Dark Lightning]

I'm of the opinion that since we're a product of the environment, it's natural to have at least arithmetic. That's going to be the extent of any philosophical ruminating on my part. My philosophy courses were in the logic classes.

[Icarus]

Some of us are really hooked on math. I find it both stimulating, and find it fun to solve math puzzles of various degrees of difficulty. (there are a gazillion of them on You Tube and elsewhere) Yes I know that a gazzilion is not a defined number that can be found in mathematical texts.

I have observed, over many years, that most Americans are largely innumerate. More than that, It is almost a boast in social situations; "I was never good at math". 

 

[The Magic Pudding.]

Some of us are really hooked on math. I find it both stimulating, and find it fun to solve math puzzles of various degrees of difficulty. (there are a gazillion of them on You Tube and elsewhere) Yes I know that a gazzilion is not a defined number that can be found in mathematical texts.

I have observed, over many years, that most Americans are largely innumerate. More than that, It is almost a boast in social situations; "I was never good at math". 

You sound like the 9' high 6' wide guy wondering why the 5 footers don't want to play football. 

[Dark Lightning]

Some of us are really hooked on math. I find it both stimulating, and find it fun to solve math puzzles of various degrees of difficulty. (there are a gazillion of them on You Tube and elsewhere) Yes I know that a gazzilion is not a defined number that can be found in mathematical texts.

I have observed, over many years, that most Americans are largely innumerate. More than that, It is almost a boast in social situations; "I was never good at math". 

You sound like the 9' high 6' wide guy wondering why the 5 footers don't want to play football. 

Icarus- Indeed, I see a lot of innumeracy about me.

TMP: I've also heard size of a person as, "One Buick wide", and the guy had "hands like baseball catcher's mitts".

[Icarus]

Some of us are really hooked on math. I find it both stimulating, and find it fun to solve math puzzles of various degrees of difficulty. (there are a gazillion of them on You Tube and elsewhere) Yes I know that a gazzilion is not a defined number that can be found in mathematical texts.

I have observed, over many years, that most Americans are largely innumerate. More than that, It is almost a boast in social situations; "I was never good at math". 

You sound like the 9' high 6' wide guy wondering why the 5 footers don't want to play football. 

No MP I am anything but a 9 x 6 guy. I am sad that so many of my fellow citizens are so persuaded that math or almost any other study, is not as important or useful as their social media exercises.

[Dark Lightning]

Having taught math and physics at a private school back in the mid-90s, I can say that the other teachers reflect your concern (as well as mine), Icarus. But I'm of a mind that it has always been this way. One can read ancient Greek texts where the elders are complaining about the younger generation. Speaking from personal experience, it's hard learning math and science. One needs motivation, whether it's one's parents, or another's. I would say that a lot of what I learned about thinking was inculcated by one of my friend's father. I was expected to obey at home, and taught quite a bit. But that was a lot of rote learning. My friend's father questioned a lot of things that I said and challenged me to explain why I believed them. Not all were religious beliefs, either. In retrospect, I realize that he was an atheist, or maybe more generally a freethinker.

[The Magic Pudding.]

I saw a pic of my maternal grandfather, sitting with a few indigenes, fellow tent boxers.
He had an Irish name as did nan but I was assured they weren't Irish
His occupation is listed as labourer on some significant document.
He becomes a bookmaker, legal and not.
My dad clerked for him for a bit.
Numbers is more useful than a left hook
Learn your numbers and earn dad's approval
For how many thousands of years?
I used to buy petrol with my four cents a litre off docket and always worked it so I'd be paying whole dollars, don't bother anymore, just swipe the card.
I collected coins as a kid, I got 20 cents for sorting a bag of coin for the family business.
Money is practically gone, how do you you learn to count now?
I played a game with daughter two, spider insect horse, how many legs.
She was excellent at it but legs isn't the same as coin.
Granddaughter one will be two weeks old on Monday
I think I'm going to have her two days a week in August, I thought it was to be one, daunting.
I'll try to teach her the age old merchants/aspiring tent boxer's regard for number.

[Icarus]

Psychological study suggests arithmetic is biologically-based and a natural consequence of our perception. There's always the question of whether mathematics exists within or without humans. Here's an interesting take.

https://phys.org/news/2023-07-psychological-arithmetic-biologically-based-natural-consequence.html

Thanks DL.

[Icarus]

All about sexadecimal for your entertainment. No it ain't about sex.

Computer geeks might find this video interesting if you have an interest in development history. It is about 22 minutes long. It lost me at 10 minutes +/-.

 

[Bluenose]

All about sexadecimal for your entertainment. No it ain't about sex.

Computer geeks might find this video interesting if you have an interest in development history. It is about 22 minutes long. It lost me at 10 minutes +/-.

I thought the video was fascinating.  I admit to being a computer geek...