Is 0^0 Equal to 1? An Explanation of Mathematical Concepts and Terminology

[Hurkyl]

dimension10: you have an opinion on the meaning of the word "number". Your opinion differs from the established usage of the word. That fact will not change no matter how many rationalizations you give.


(moderator hat on) If you wish to continue to try and tell people that they ought to redefine number to match what you want things to be, then do one of the following two things:

1. Go to another forum
2. Find a really, strongly compelling reason why such a convention is actually useful

(hint: some minor technical condition you have arbitrarily decided should define "number" does not count as a "compelling reason", especially when lacking motivation)

 

[micromass]

dimension 10, what you must realize is that calling something a number doesn't mean that this something suddenly is something magical. It's just another name. That's all it is.

If I would call the integers bazalbieba's, then I could, and everything would still work the same way. But mathematicians have not decided to use the word bazalbieba's, but to use the word number. It's just a name..

I agree that 0 is just a concept, but so are 1,2 and 3. These are all just concepts, which we happen to call "number". Like I said, you can call them something else if you want to, but mathematicians still use the word "number"...

When I call 6 a perfect number, it just means that the sum of it's proper divisors is 6. It means nothing more. It doesn't mean that 6 is suddenly perfection or something. It means exactly what the definition says it means, nothing more and nothing less.

Sorry, Hurk, if a reply wasn't allowed anymore, but I think this could end some confusion.