Science Memes

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A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.

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If you are here asking: "Is this a science meme?"

Probably, yes. We use the Dawkins definition of meme: a replicating idea, not just an image macro with a fact on it. A good post here doesn't need to teach you something. It needs to make you ask something: who, what, where, when, and especially why or how.

Science isn't a filing cabinet of facts, it's a conversation. For example, a photo of an eel or other localized wildlife counts because most people never see one, and wonder is the first step of inquiry. A car meme counts if it makes you curious about what's under the bonnet. If you want to talk about something you noticed in the world, chances are someone else wants to talk about it too.

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See the pinned paper on Shitposting as Public Pedagogy if you want the academic case for why this works.

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I just cited myself. (mander.xyz)

submitted 2 years ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz

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[–] Tlaloc_Temporal@lemmy.ca -1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I'm not saying that math works differently is different bases, I'm using different bases exactly because the values don't change. Using different bases restates the equation without using repeating decimals, thus sidestepping the flaw altogether.

My whole point here is that the decimal system is flawed. It's still useful, but trying to claim it is perfect leads to a conflict with reality. All models are wrong, but some are useful.

[–] pyre@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

you said 1/3 ≠ 0.333... which is false. it is exactly equal. there's no flaw; it's a restriction in notation that is not unique to the decimal system. there's no "conflict with reality", whatever that means. this just sounds like not being able to wrap your head around the concept. but that doesn't make it a flaw.

[–] Tlaloc_Temporal@lemmy.ca -1 points 2 years ago

Let me restate: I am of the opinion that repeating decimals are imperfect representations of the values we use them to represent. This imperfection only matters in the case of 0.999... , but I still consider it a flaw.

I am also of the opinion that focusing on this flaw rather than the incorrectness of the person using it is a better method of teaching.

I accept that 1/3 is exactly equal to the value typically represented by 0.333... , however I do not agree that 0.333... is a perfect representation of that value. That is what I mean by 1/3 ≠ 0.333... , that repeating decimal is not exactly equal to that value.