Thursday 28 June 2007

Whole numbers

I'm imagining a world in which fractions decimals are taboo; whole numbers divided into whole numbers are holy--whole sight (as a modern-day fundamentalist once put it) or all the rest is desolation. Even numbers are good. Duodecimals constitute the monetary system. But how to halve odd numbers? The answer is clear enough: the unacceptable 'and a half' becomes the acceptable euphemastic 'and some'. 'And some' covers all fractions; and human sensibilties need never be offended by the frayed-edges of broken numbers ever again.

The theological issue of the day; is pi a whole number, or not?

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