Comments on: Other posts on “Math is hard” http://www.arsmathematica.net/2006/01/01/other-posts-on-math-is-hard/ Dedicated to the mathematical arts. Fri, 29 May 2015 09:17:44 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.41 By: easwaran http://www.arsmathematica.net/2006/01/01/other-posts-on-math-is-hard/#comment-234 Thu, 05 Jan 2006 10:24:28 +0000 http://www.arsmathematica.net/?p=194#comment-234 That’s why the New Year is my favorite holiday – it’s a purely conventional party, not observing any historical or mythological event, that has no significance beyond the purely social significance of tax forms and calendar pages. A perfect excuse for a party.

]]> By: PeterMcB http://www.arsmathematica.net/2006/01/01/other-posts-on-math-is-hard/#comment-229 Tue, 03 Jan 2006 09:33:48 +0000 http://www.arsmathematica.net/?p=194#comment-229 I think the division of time into years is somewhat less arbitrary than other time divisions (hours, decades, etc), since it represents one complete revolution of the earth around the sun. Of course, if we were on a different planet or in a different solar system, the length of a year would almost certainly be different.

But, maybe not too different, because our very existence may have depended on a year similar in length to the one we have.

Of course, when we choose to start each new year is completely arbitrary.

]]> By: JacquiG http://www.arsmathematica.net/2006/01/01/other-posts-on-math-is-hard/#comment-228 Mon, 02 Jan 2006 23:07:30 +0000 http://www.arsmathematica.net/?p=194#comment-228 Thank you for the link (and thanks to Teresa for letting me know).

]]> By: Teresa http://www.arsmathematica.net/2006/01/01/other-posts-on-math-is-hard/#comment-227 Mon, 02 Jan 2006 22:11:51 +0000 http://www.arsmathematica.net/?p=194#comment-227 Thank you very much for the link! I know my friend who writes Mathcog Idiocy would like to thank you also – but she’s a bit under the weather at the moment. I’ll let her know you linked her.

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