How do you get the number pi.

If God's the only thing that can be perfect then why do we have the word?

hmm actually I wanted to say that the people who argue that something can't be perfect if has no divine oirigin are simply using a different meaning of perfect.

Certainly not my own standpoint.
 
That post of mine you quoted, it was actually intended for 'nihilistic', in it's entirety.

Well I just said it in case you thought people in general were too unpolite. I'm not gonna continue on this, because it's going nowhere, but just for the records:

I honestly couldn't care less how the Greeks managed to cut strings the length of a diameter, measure it's ratio to the circumference, and assign a symbol to it.

The amazing part of maths is that it isn't done by measurments, maths is deductive science (unlike any other). Anybody who thinks maths is about measuring things is wrong.
 
Regardless of how fundamentally sound, and completely 'perfect' Pi may actually be to a mathematician, the sentiment I was trying to express was ...

And I was pointing out that your "sentiment" has no basis in "fact".

Well, if it's your area of sublime expertise, I'll take your word for it. Indeed, I may be totally incapable of faulting mathematics whatsoever - but that doesn't mean it's actually perfect.

I don't recall using the phrase "perfect", but I appreciate your putting your words in my mouth.

MY REASON for getting involved here, is to show disgust for a group of people, that were -indeed- getting way too full of themselves. I thought I'd inject a bit of humility... and while I knew it would not be 'well received', this has gone way too far. I honestly... really, don't care that much. At this point, it's only about clarification.

Humility? You, of all people, who began your rant on this thread maligning something you later admit to know nothing about, is now admonishing others for not having humility?

What's next? Are you going to compete for a modesty award?

You can out-calculate me with advanced mathematics, but you can't out-wit me. I'm not frustrated. And thinking as you do - you shouldn't be either. If you'd like to reply further, I'd be really interested to hear what kind of peace of mind, and wisdom you feel you've attained from your studies...

Of course you are not frustrated. You kept changing your story because you wanted to amuse us. You keep avoiding inquiries into your claims with bullsh*t metaphysics because you are actually the magical man from Happy Land in a gumdrop house on Lollipop Lane. You had to insist that you are not frustrated, because you in fact are not. You in fact are a model of confidence, authority, and sincerity because apparently you had not made boisterous and erroneous comments on a subject on which you later was forced to admit to not knowing anything about.

You aren't that much different than the kid in 2nd grade, going around teasing everyone else because they didn't know what 9 multiplied by 8 was.

Quite right, except I'm too lazy go around to everyone in order to tease people. I don't have that time either. Luckily though, you barged into here with guns slinging looking for a fight where you can't win while I can't lose.

Get over Pi, btw. If see anything else about Pi, I'm going to know you're obsessed, and are incapable of anything else.

No one is forcing you read btw. I can talk about whatever math I want to the like-minded people here however much I want. If you feel bored then don't read. We aren't exactly itching to hear such wondrous insights of yours as:

Mathematics can't even solve for the simple shape of a circle. I'd guess God would laugh at the 'chosen profession', just as He did the brittle iron used to make the hull of the "unsinkable" Titanic.
 
Get over Pi, btw. If see anything else about Pi, I'm going to know you're obsessed, and are incapable of anything else. I honestly couldn't care less how the Greeks managed to cut strings the length of a diameter, measure it's ratio to the circumference, and assign a symbol to it. There's bigger things in life... :lol:

Anyway, maybe this area really is the safehouse for the extreme left-brained. Here, you can hide, and master all the answers. Then, as I see, you become God-like in your own minds. I think that's pathetic, if you want the truth. Branch out. Let's make a deal... I'll take some math courses. I won't get anything out of it, except to further my own smart-assedness, but alas, we could find common ground. And make no mistake, that's all I was trying to do - reach out. But, I should have known that starting out by insinuating humility into a likely intellectually self-righteous crowd would be the less than ideal approach.

But, to err is human. Unless you are a mathematician, right? They "laugh" at the rest of us, and our "ignorance". If only they could see themselves... they're no different. They can't break out, away from 'this' - which we all want to advance out of. There's only one way higher, and they're on the completely wrong track. Some of them, anyway. You, for example.

This is a different subject so I'll address it separately. While the previous post is satire this one will be advice.

Look, kid. This is not your comparative humanities class. This is an internet forum where no one is forced to read, so if you post something on math/science the only people interested in math/science will listen. That brings us to point two: math/science nerds tend to be semi-introverted individuals who do fancy technical details but don't give a damn about what non-techies think of us. So you can forget about using that passive-aggressive strategy to attempt to guilt us like you would do to English majors. Which brings us to the most important point 3:

We are not (and by extension, the world is not) out to get you. Not because we don't find it amusing to tease you but because we don't really care enough about you to personally go after you. My previous sarcastic comments are not directed at your ignorance. It's directed at your combination of ignorance and hostility. If you don't want to get flamed, don't make completely ridiculous claims on subjects you know nothing about. Ask the last person who opened a thread on "Darwin is an idiot who never considered the second law of thermodynamics" what happened to his thread.

A final piece of advice: Don't try to lie through your teeth if you know you are not slick enough to maintain consistency and don't contradict yourself every other paragraph. For example: On the first paragraph I quoted you said you "couldn't care less" about math. On the paragraph following it you pretend to plan to take a math class. Remember that while you might read stuff for emotion, we math/science types actually read for content.
 
On the subject of God and mathematics, there is only one place to turn: Pensacola Christian College. :p Here's what they have to say:

No subject better reflects the glory of God than does mathematics. To study mathematics is to study God’s thoughts after Him, for He is the great Engineer and Architect of the universe. Man’s task is to search out the scientific and mathematical laws of the universe and to use them for man’s benefit and the glory of God.

The graduate with a mathematics major is prepared to use mathematical ideas in solving problems ranging from everyday applications to more sophisticated applications in the physical sciences. Mathematics is the vehicle that allows the student to state and understand the relationships among the various laws of God’s creation. With insight into these relationships and with manipulative skills, the student can realize the powerful hand of God in His design of and care for the universe.

source: http://www.pcci.edu/Academics/Majors/BasicSciencesandEngineering/Mathematics.html

Lotus, if we forget pi for a moment and look at the more general, philosophical side of the discussion (unless you don't want to do that), I'd like to hear your reasons for why exactly you think mathematics is just an "imperfect" "tool". I can understand why you might think there is truth that is more profound then mathematics, and I can understand how mathematics might not be "divine," but surely you recognize that mathematics has its own form of "perfection"? Perhaps a useless perfection, or perhaps not; either way, a certain type of perfection. A perfection that physics, chemistry, biology, history, etc. do NOT have---only math (well, and logic).
 
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