this post was submitted on 04 Jan 2026
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Math really is a language.
Cuz i cannot understand a word of that footnote.
Here's the whole page for a bit more context
Link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/27643011
Absolutely
It says, 'Better known for other work'. In case you don't know: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Kaczynski#Bombings
That's not the part of the foot note i was referring to.
Then I think you're misusing the word footnote.
Ha! I was. Thank you.
D'oh
But my point about math still stands lol
I think the main reason it's hard to understand is it's missing context that's not important to the joke: whatever
nis in this context...it’s not a language, you can’t translate a book into mathematics
What's your point?
That doesn't prove it isn't a language. Many concepts are untranslatable between languages. Formal languages exist which are only able to express things within their formal domain. Etc!
Modern mathematicians use a common symbolic system to communicate mathematical ideas that is more a language than it is not a language. In fact I think it's entirely a language.
there are a variety of ways to express any mathematical idea… i.e. there are a variety of mathematical languages
usually referred to as different notations.
even when there are language barriers, a good translator can still express an idea in another language… math is not a language, but you do kinda need to learn another language to understand it
Then maybe you were referring to the part above the footnote, which is called the text ☝️🤓
It's not a big deal
That's the whole footnote, though.
Well, of course. If you're not an expert, it's pretty much impossible to understand an out-of-context passage from a more technical or abstract paper.
I understand that there's a two digit solution if a three digit solution exists but not for which problem and why that's relevant or interesting for anything.
Also, I keep confusing the Unabomber with the Killdozer guy...
Knowing which problem isn't necessary to get the awkwardness of citing a serial killer in a math paper.
~~Unibomber killed a bunch of kids in a daycare.~~
You're thinking of Timothy McVeigh / Oklahoma City.
The Unabomber was named for bombing Univertities and Airline execs. 'UnA'
Thanks. I should have checked.