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"American bigotry"? Hardly. The cause is very likely American ignorance—most people simply don't know that the numerical system we use is often 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 "Arabic numerals." I'm sure you'd get the same response if you asked Arabs whether they should learn "Hindu numerals."
It seems fairly obvious that what people 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 they are being ask is whether in our schools we should standardly be taught numerical notation used by Arabs, e.g. 
And the answer “no” seems to be clearly the correct one. Why would one teach, in America, all the possible numerical notations in the world? Of what use would this be?
And why the Arabic one, standardly, and not, say, the Chinese?
And why the Arabic one, standardly, and not, say, the Chinese?
So, really, you have a trap question.
The majority saying “no,” THINK they are saying “the way Arabs write numerals today should not standardly be taught in American schools, no more that Arabic should be.”
The are unaware of the fact our numerical system is CALLED that.
The majority saying “no,” THINK they are saying “the way Arabs write numerals today should not standardly be taught in American schools, no more that Arabic should be.”
The are unaware of the fact our numerical system is CALLED that.
Did you mention that by “Arabic numerals” you meant
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
?
Or did you not, and then just start CROWING about "American bigotry"?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
?
Or did you not, and then just start CROWING about "American bigotry"?
This inference to BIGOTRY is made so casually and so stupidly.
It makes me sick.
It makes me sick.
We know that “the people” at large are pretty ignorant.
They don’t know basic facts about history, science, philosophy, geography … much of anything really.
The majority are always ignorant.
They don’t know basic facts about history, science, philosophy, geography … much of anything really.
The majority are always ignorant.
So, really, there 𝙞𝙨 bigotry here. It is a 𝙣𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙮 kind of elitism that mocks the majority for the ignorance they for the most part cannot help.
1 The majority are ignorant. [always true]
2 Therefore the majority are bigots
3 Therefore I am morally superior.
Elitist.
1 The majority are ignorant. [always true]
2 Therefore the majority are bigots
3 Therefore I am morally superior.
Elitist.
Indeed, it is a might proof that you are morally superior to ordinary men and women because you happen to know that our standard numerical system is historically, and rather inaccurately, called “Arabic numerals.”
As a logician, dear scholar, I must inform you that this is logically 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙙:
1 I know the numerical system used in America is historically called “Arabic numerals.”
2 The majority of Americans don’t know this.
3 ∴ I am morally superior to the majority of Americans.
1 I know the numerical system used in America is historically called “Arabic numerals.”
2 The majority of Americans don’t know this.
3 ∴ I am morally superior to the majority of Americans.
