Given one of our frequently recurring themes of what defines a language: syntax
vs functionality, I found it amusing having come across this essay by a
mathematician, called Pi is Wrong (http://www.math.utah.edu/~palais/pi.html),
where Bob Palais argues in favor of changing the value of π.
I don't think Palais seriously expects all of the world's scientists, teachers,
and curricula to switch over to the new π. Rather, it's more of an
illustration
of how he feels mathematics got some of its syntax wrong, resulting in so much
legacy on top of it. It is so deeply ingrained in our minds that it will
likely
continue to cause some undue consternation 'til the end of the human race as we
know it. It's not so much a real limitation of expressiveness, but a certain
clumsiness of notation. Sound familiar?
Alexey
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