30Jan 2019 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

Mathematics Intrinsic Value, or Simply a Tool?

Mathematics, philosophy
It is a sunny day; you want to take a walk. We here define walking as the taking of repeated steps in any given direction. Our walk will take us into the field of mathematics. An Unusual Walk Imagine a stretch of sidewalk that is precisely 6 feet long. An initial 3 foot step is taken. Every step after that must be 1/2 the distance of the previous step. So our second step is 1/2 the length of the first step. The third step is 1/2 the length of the second step, and so on. Questions: 1. Theoretically, how long would it take you to reach the end of the 6′stretch? 2. How far would you have traveled, after each step? Answers: 1. You would, again theoretically, never make it…
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24Jul 2017 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Jargon: When to Use It and When Not to Use It

Education, People
[caption id="attachment_18089" align="alignright" width="420"] Huh?[/caption] Jargon is essential to many professions. Jargon consists of words and phrases that speed up communication when discussing complex or convoluted ideas. But the silver lining of jargon frequently enshrouds a gray cloud. An Example A chemist speaks to a lab technician about sodium cations. Now most of us know what a sodium atom is, but the word ‘cation’ doesn’t ring a bell. What is a cation? As the last three letters of its name suggest, a cation is an ion. Atoms are electrically neutral. That is, they do not have a net electrical charge. Although they contain positive protons and negative electrons, the total charges are equal. In effect, they cancel each other out. Add an additional electron or subtract one already present and…
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06Nov 2015 by Vincent Summers No Comments

How Do You Pronounce The?

Language
Many words can be pronounced more than one way. So how do you pronounce the? Times change; language changes along with it. But understanding the spoken word is essential to good communication. In these technological times, communication is breaking down. Not being able to correctly pronounce long words may be understandable. But doesn’t it seem absurd so many mispronounce the simple word "the?" In School During the 60s During the 1960s, quite a few of the kids in school would pronounce t-h-e as thuh. This is a correct pronunciation of the word, but not in all contexts. Here are a few examples of when and when not to use that pronunciation. Poor George ate thuh apple. Suzy rode thuh elephant. Good Give Jill thuh banana. The gentleman opened thuh door.…
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