Other posts on “Math is hard”
January 1st, 2006 by WaltI’d wish everyone a happy new year, but clearly the mathematically inclined all refuse to recognize arbitrary time divisions.
I’ve been tipped, via e-mail, to some other weblog discussions inspired by Math is hard:
January 2nd, 2006 at 3:11 pm
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.
January 2nd, 2006 at 4:07 pm
Thank you for the link (and thanks to Teresa for letting me know).
January 3rd, 2006 at 2:33 am
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.
January 5th, 2006 at 3:24 am
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.