August 23, 2010
Mathematicians are facing a stark choice — embrace monstrous infinite entities or admit the basic rules of arithmetic are broken
Well, here’s an even more subversive thought: are the rules of arithmetic, the basic logical premises underlying things like long division, unsound? Implausible, you might think. After all, human error aside, our number system delivers pretty reliable results. Yet the closer mathematicians peer beneath the hood of arithmetic, the more they are becoming convinced that something about numbers doesn’t quite add up. The motor might be still running, but some essential parts seem to be missing — and we’re not sure where to find the spares.
(via kottke)
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