Is 1+1 actually 2?
Think well before you answer.
2006-08-11 06:10:27 · 4 answers · asked by blunt_yet_sharp 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
It depends on how you define "1" or "+" or "2"
For people like us, those symbols have a meaning, but who gave them their meaning? it's no more than a convention, a generally accepted rule.They are symbols, so if I wanted to invent my own alphabet, I could make symbols that look like that but mean something completely different.
Let's play it:
In my alphabet, "1" means love, "+" means game, and "1" if it comes after a "+" sign, means computer. In my language there are no conjunctions or articles and the order doesn't matter. So in my language, "1+1" means that I love computer games...
2006-08-11 06:24:38 · answer #1 · answered by Patricia V 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Well, it is true that 1 + 1 = 2, but 2 + 2 = 5, for very large values of 2.
2006-08-11 06:18:19 · answer #2 · answered by The J Man 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, let's see. If you have one of something, and you add one more of it, you now have two of that thing. Yep. Unless we're talking about some kind of parallel universe situation, or using faulty logic, 1 + 1 equals 2.
Added: All of this philosophy is nice, but it is meaningless pretentious bullshit. If we want to debate about how to define "1", what is keeping us from debating whether this question is asking what we've all seemed to agree it is asking, or if it is asking if we believe in unicorns? Either 1 means one, or we can spend all day giving completely random answers and arguing that "repeating" means "fart" and "others" means "leprechaun". 1 + 1 is equal to 2. Let's not allow semantics to interfere with the underlying concept. If you have one of something, and add another of the same thing, you have two of that thing. The end.
2006-08-11 06:16:27 · answer #3 · answered by Master Maverick 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You should of thought before you asked the question.
2006-08-11 06:21:00 · answer #4 · answered by festus_porkchop 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋