just thought I'd say that this was a very interesting read. You make many interesting points here. talk to ya later.
-brad
Dennis
· 3 years ago
Just wanted to share this little christian note of old news. One of the differences is that in non-theistic trigonometry pi = 3.14159..., while in theistic trigonometry pi = 3.0 (see 1 Kings 7:23). This is taken so seriously by biblical literalists the Tennesse legislature not long ago seriously entertained legislation to force all mathematics teachers in the state's public schools to teach the theistic value of pi so the mathematics curriculum would not contradict Scripute. On a side note if the bible says pi = 3.0 then that can be used to prove that the bible is flawed and maybe in the end prove that the bible is completely fiction.
dylan
· 3 years ago
satanist.
Marisol
· 3 years ago
Yes, a very interesting read...thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
brad
· 3 years ago
comment on a comment. Do you realize how changing the accepted value of pi would affect calculations? Are you serious about the tennessee thing? wow.
Dennis
· 3 years ago
the legislation did not pass but it's crazy that they were even trying.
Brian
· 3 years ago
Daniel - You're right. Lots of people are too focused on the here and now, and the looking-out-for-number-one. Even some (many? most?) of the people who call themselves Christians, but many (most?) non-Christians fit the bill, too. You clearly understand that following God's rules is difficult.
Writing the whole thing off (and as Satanism, no less!) because some self-described Christians don't live up to the ideal is silly. You read Steve Pavlina -- would you say that Toastmasters is a useless organization (or worse) because some of the people in that group give crappy speeches?
As I understand it (and I'm no expert) Jesus was the only man ever to have lived the perfect life. Everyone else - even those of his disciples who lived with him and saw his miracles first-hand - falls short. As I understand it, the *trying* is the purpose.
Dennis - talking in the whole numbers that I Kings 7:23 does, "three" is the correct approximation of pi. It's as precise as the numbers going into the equation allow.
The dimensions of the circle given are a diameter of "ten" and a circumference of "thirty," - not "10.0" and "10.0". Each of those values contains one significant digit. Because the result of a mathematical transformation cannot be more precise than the least precise value it takes as an argument, the result must contain one (and only one) significant digit.
And pi, to one sigificant digit, really is 3.
The Bible does not say that "pi = 3.0." It says that a first-order approximation of pi is three ("3", not "3.0"). That's true.
Also, the "Tennesee Legislature" thing was an April Fools' joke in 1998. It was Indiana that tried it, but it's a stretch to say that 1897 was "not too long ago."
All Comments
-brad
Writing the whole thing off (and as Satanism, no less!) because some self-described Christians don't live up to the ideal is silly. You read Steve Pavlina -- would you say that Toastmasters is a useless organization (or worse) because some of the people in that group give crappy speeches?
As I understand it (and I'm no expert) Jesus was the only man ever to have lived the perfect life. Everyone else - even those of his disciples who lived with him and saw his miracles first-hand - falls short. As I understand it, the *trying* is the purpose.
Dennis - talking in the whole numbers that I Kings 7:23 does, "three" is the correct approximation of pi. It's as precise as the numbers going into the equation allow.
The dimensions of the circle given are a diameter of "ten" and a circumference of "thirty," - not "10.0" and "10.0". Each of those values contains one significant digit. Because the result of a mathematical transformation cannot be more precise than the least precise value it takes as an argument, the result must contain one (and only one) significant digit.
And pi, to one sigificant digit, really is 3.
The Bible does not say that "pi = 3.0." It says that a first-order approximation of pi is three ("3", not "3.0"). That's true.
Also, the "Tennesee Legislature" thing was an April Fools' joke in 1998. It was Indiana that tried it, but it's a stretch to say that 1897 was "not too long ago."
Significant Digits - http://mathworld.wolfram.com/SignificantDigits....
Indiana Legislature - http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_341.html
And at Snopes - http://www.snopes.com/religion/pi.htm