On Mon, 09 Dec 2002 13:23:17 Jim Elwell wrote: >... >One issue got me thinking: some professions wanted a measurement standard >based on 12, so that things could be easily divided into halves, quarters, >thirds, etc. > >Just imagine: if humans were born with six fingers on each hand (perhaps >two opposable thumbs), or 12 fingers total, then: > >* "decimal" would mean base-12 >* it would be trivial to convert between common fractions and decimal >numbers (e.g., 1/3 = 0.4) >* this would make the issue of fractions in commerce vs. decimals in >science largely moot >* our clocks would be almost identical to current clocks (based on 24). >* there could still be 360 degrees in a circle, and it would seem like a >nice, round number >* etc. > >Perhaps with modern genetic engineering we can create 12-fingered humans, >redefine the entire SI system on base-12, and be happy with our clocks and >degrees. > >Jim Elwell > >P.S. don't take this seriously -- this is just a bit of daydreaming > ?? 'Nightmaring' would be much more like it!... :-( Looks like one keeps forgetting that it would take a lot more than just 12 fingers to make us "comfortable" in the base-12! (Our brains! For some reason, they simply do NOT work well in any other base but *pure* decimal! God certainly knew what He was doing... ;-) )
Cheers... Marcus ____________________________________________________________ Get 25MB of email storage with Lycos Mail Plus! Sign up today -- http://www.mail.lycos.com/brandPage.shtml?pageId=plus
