Numerati's definitions

Pilanthropy

Short for “Pi Philanthropy.” A showy donation by a geeky or vanity billionaire to fund pi research, which could inexplicably or allegedly help save planet Earth from extinction, or which would increase the chances of earthlings communicating with extraterrestrials in order to avoid any mishap that could lead into a galactic war.

Bezos and Branson are donating close to half a billion bucks to the Center of Pi Research—doesn’t their pilanthropy sound like some kind of insincere telescopic philanthropy to distract the skeptical public from questioning why both are paying so little tax on the billions they’d amassed during the pandemic?

by Numerati August 10, 2023

Mathematical Sabbath

One day in a week when you abstain from any mathematical activity—no preparing, no problem solving or posing, no marking—to give the left part of your brain a day off, while inviting the right part to take over.

Your mathematical sabbath could prove to be the most productive day of the week, as you let your logical mind recover and reenergize from a hectic week.

by Numerati August 16, 2023

Rogue Ratios

Quantitative bad deals whereby enslaved workers or employees are being taken advantage of by their bosses or entrepreneurs, who have financial control over their lives, be it five days of work in exchange for a weekend break (5 : 2)—an investment of –60%—or a two-week annual leave (2 : 52), or a 5% savings rate on gross salary for 40 years.

Millions of people around the world are aware of the rogue ratios that force them to live a mediocre life, but only a very percentage of them think they can work for a better ratio to achieve financial freedom.

by Numerati August 17, 2023

Sin-Conscious

When someone frequently asks themselves whether or not they could use the sine rule or any sine-related formula to solve an unfamiliar sexy-looking geometry or trigonometry question.

When asked before a group of math educators at a church meeting if he sees himself as sin-conscious, David was tongue-tied, because he’s not sure if it’s a math or morality question: Could they be asking him if he easily succumbs to temptation when, say, seeing a scantily clad woman in public or on Facebook or on magazine covers?

by Numerati August 20, 2023

Tharmanomics

When economists observe that the fruit of choice among a large proportion of religious or superstitious folks is now the pineapple (which is offered as food to hungry ghosts or spiritual vagabonds, who have descended from hell to earth during the Hungry Ghost Festival or Seventh Month), thus making them hypothesize whether there is any correlation between the switch of fruit and Singapore’s newly elected President’s use of the pineapple symbol during his recent electoral campaign.

Would Tharmanomics last as long as the “fine” city’s ceremonial head of state remained in office, which could be a dozen years (if he’s re-elected after serving his first six-year term)?

by Numerati September 3, 2023

Wasan

The native Japanese mathematics that was developed independently during the Edo period (1603–1868)—when Japan was isolated from the rest of the world, and when math was enjoyed as a pastime by both adults and children, and by folks of all social classes.

Wasan was replaced by its Western counterpart after the start of the Meiji era (1868–1912)—when Japan opened up to the West, and local scholars started adopting Western mathematical techniques.

by Numerati September 12, 2023

Mathematical Asylum

When people apply to become permanent residents or citizens of another country, because they continually face job discrimination from both local and foreign employers, or from their own elitist government—the good jobs are given to those who were born or blessed with the “mathematical gene.”

Like millions of asylum seekers from developing countries and theocratic states, who fear discrimination for being gay or a woman in their country of origin, what are the chances that in a-not-too-distant future, math-anxious or mathematically challenged folks might also apply for mathematical asylum to live in some anti-multicultural or anti-woke societies?

by Numerati September 26, 2023