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Besides, if a trick works, but it isn't understood why it works, then the users of it lose the 'ingenious' tag, methinks. The fact that we think it is just a
by ekm2 13y ago
Besides, if a trick works, but it isn't understood why it works, then the users of it lose the 'ingenious' tag, methinks.
The fact that we think it is just a trick does not mean the Ethiopians did not understand it.
- wyager 13y agoGiven that they speak of "evil numbers", I think it is reasonable to assume that the Shamans did not understand how the algorithm works. The inventor may have, but it seems likely that the users did not.
- drnooo 13y agoWolfram has a definition of "evil numbers" here: http://mathworld.wolfram.com/EvilNumber.html http://mathworld.wolfram.com/EvilNumber.html which include "beastly evil numbers". Also there are "apocalypse numbers" http://mathworld.wolfram.com/ApocalypseNumber.html http://mathworld.wolfram.com/ApocalypseNumber.html , "beast numbers" http://mathworld.wolfram.com/BeastNumber.html http://mathworld.wolfram.com/BeastNumber.html , "leviathan numbers" http://mathworld.wolfram.com/LeviathanNumber.html http://mathworld.wolfram.com/LeviathanNumber.html , and "legion's numbers" http://mathworld.wolfram.com/LegionsNumbers.html http://mathworld.wolfram.com/LegionsNumbers.html among others.
- fnordfnordfnord 13y ago>Given that they speak of "evil numbers", I think it is reasonable to assume that the Shamans did not understand how the algorithm works. Or maybe that the language translation is imprecise.