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Replying to Avatar Joe

Why 10?

0-9 are the 10 numbers that are the building blocks of all numbers. Math, its applications and its usefulness, are built upon these 10 digits.

My best guess is we humans have 10 fingers (digits) and our two hands were likely the first counting tool.

But there is no zeroth finger…so I’m curious how we figured out the most incredible building blocks and enabled the amazing tools and innovations we have today. I think I’ve heard coders say the first in a counting sequence needs to be 0 which may be the “zeroth finger”.

Maybe the thing that first made us human was a need/desire to count anything in the first place. The Big Bang of consciousness, so to speak.

#asknostr

I don’t want to Google this because fuck Google.

Anyways, good morning. Humans are fascinating. I’m behind on yard work.

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Stu 1y ago

It's hard for us to imagine, but the Pirahã of the Amazon don't even have numbers in their language.

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Joe 1y ago

Will look this up, have not heard of this culture.

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Stu 1y ago

This guy probably knows them better than anyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=get272FyNto

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Joe 1y ago

Fascinating. “Members of the Pirahã can whistle their language, which is how Pirahã men communicate when hunting in the jungle.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirah%C3%A3_people

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