4 ms·
> A global shift away from Roman numerals underscores a creeping innumeracy in other aspects of life. Sorry, what? How is knowledge of an obsolete number syste
by falseprofit 6y ago
> A global shift away from Roman numerals underscores a creeping innumeracy in other aspects of life.
Sorry, what? How is knowledge of an obsolete number system important to numeracy?
- ImaCake 6y agoYeah this seems a bit silly. We are not ignorant buffoons because we can’t read latin. Sure, I could certainly read more things if I could read latin, but the same could be said for speaking french or knowing set theory. The author’s defence of different numbering systems as a means to gain insight is valid, but the extrapolation is silly.
- disown 6y agoEven better, since when did "the globe" use roman numerals to begin with? Did the chinese, indians, aztecs, persians, etc use roman numerals? When was there a "global" shift from roman numerals?
- qart 6y agoAh, the accursed eurocentricism. Some people have to indulge in it even when they are writing a fluff piece about another culture they are trying to extol.
- PicassoCTs 6y agoIts not even complete- not once mentioned sumerias influence- the whole base 6 numbers system. 0-360° 0-12-24 h in a day, etc..
- dang 6y agoPlease don't post in the flamewar style here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- fzil 6y agothis thread made me feel bad for you dang. Keep up the hard and good work!