Timeline for Why are Only Real Things Measurable?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
5 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Oct 30, 2013 at 5:53 | comment | added | user26165 | Well it is very common to use words in the English language, to have the meaning that is conventionally assigned to them, by usage and dictionary definitions. Now why would I use the word "imaginary" to have some different meaning; what would be the purpose ? So you too evidently, would prefer to call imaginary numbers, by some other name. Did you catch this in my answer: """...So the REALITY of imaginary, or complex numbers, is nothing more than our definition of how WE HUMANS interpret them or their use...."" ? You should answer OP's question. | |
| Oct 29, 2013 at 14:09 | comment | added | MSalters | The point is that complex numbers are made up in exactly the same way as all other types of numbers: by defining the mathematical rules that govern them. Your first sentence suggests that "imaginery" in "imaginery numbers" should be interpreted in the usual English sense of the word. | |
| Oct 29, 2013 at 5:28 | comment | added | user26165 | """...Yes, but, we "made up" the negative numbers...""" So if I understand you, after we made up negative numbers (we did), you now wish to rename them "imaginary numbers" and also rename rational numbers too ?? Given that we made them all up (everything in mathematics), why would you now want to rename everything, to "imaginary", simply because we made them up; what's the point ?? | |
| Oct 29, 2013 at 2:12 | comment | added | Alfred Centauri | Yes, but, we "made up" the negative numbers to allow an answer to, e.g., "what is the number that, when 3 is added equals 2" and we "made up" the rational numbers to allow an answer to , e.g., "what is the number that, when multiplied by 2 equals 1". By that reckoning, these numbers are "imaginary" too. | |
| Oct 29, 2013 at 0:30 | history | answered | user26165 | CC BY-SA 3.0 |