Are You Sure One And One Makes Two?

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The discussion explores the philosophical and mathematical implications of the question "How much chewing gum do you get by adding one to another?" It highlights the distinction between different types of addition—literal physical addition versus conceptual or qualitative addition. Participants debate the nature of quantities and their representations, referencing concepts from set theory and cardinality. The conversation also touches on historical figures like Newton and Asimov, emphasizing the complexity of understanding addition beyond mere arithmetic. Ultimately, the thread illustrates the interplay between mathematics and philosophy in grasping fundamental concepts.
  • #31
The whole chalk talk is from Isaac Asimov.

The book is Asimov on Numbers - Isaac Asimov.

He talk abouts a professor who says Mathematicians are maniacs of some sort, and he goes off to finish his case against the angry professor.
 
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  • #32
JasonRox said:
The whole chalk talk is from Isaac Asimov.

The book is Asimov on Numbers - Isaac Asimov.

He talk abouts a professor who says Mathematicians are maniacs of some sort, and he goes off to finish his case against the angry professor.

Yes, I have read it.
 
  • #33
deda said:
What made me post this thread is Newton's way of equalizing force - mass ratio with angular and linear acceleration at the same time despite the fact that the last have different qualities - units. Newton cannot make a difference between degrees and meters.

The units for linear acceleration are meters/sec^2
The units for angular acceleration are rad/sec^2

It is a simple matter to see how many meters an object travels along the circumference of a given circle if the radius of the given circle is known. This makes the relationship between radial acceleration and tangential acceleration apparent.

Acceleration is defined as a change in velocity over a time. Since velocity is a vector, there are two ways to produce acceleration: by a change in magnitude or by a change in direction. I don't see any flaws in Newton's laws here. The angular (radial) acceleration is perpendicular to the tangential acceleration.

The total acceleration is equal to the square root of (angular acceleration^2 + tangential acceleration^2)

For some reason, you seem to be intent on discrediting Newton. That's ok; because each time you are proven wrong, the students on this forum get a better understanding of classical physics during the course of the discussion. So in your own way, you are providing a valuable service to many people. If this is your purpose, than I would like to thank you for your contribution.
-Mike
 
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