A classic rope puzzle that seems simple unlocks a doorway to the foundations of mathematics. We trace how lighting two ends and timing the second fuse reveals the fusible numbers, show they are all dyadic rationals, and explore the well-ordered structure whose gaps encode epsilon naught—the proof-theoretic strength of Peano arithmetic. Join us as we connect a playful parlor trick to the absolute limits of formal arithmetic, revealing how the simplest rules can hide immense logical depth. Not...
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A classic rope puzzle that seems simple unlocks a doorway to the foundations of mathematics. We trace how lighting two ends and timing the second fuse reveals the fusible numbers, show they are all dyadic rationals, and explore the well-ordered structure whose gaps encode epsilon naught—the proof-theoretic strength of Peano arithmetic. Join us as we connect a playful parlor trick to the absolute limits of formal arithmetic, revealing how the simplest rules can hide immense logical depth. Not...
Threads as Code: Weaving, Recursion, and the Dawn of Computation
Intellectually Curious
5 minutes
5 days ago
Threads as Code: Weaving, Recursion, and the Dawn of Computation
Take a journey into how ancient textiles function as living programs. We examine Andean backstrap weaving and Japanese ikat not just as art, but as sophisticated algorithmic systems: from on-the-fly debugging as a weaver adjusts a row, to pre-dyed patterns that compile into the fabric. We connect motifs as macro-operations, recursion in repeating motifs, and the idea that pattern grammars underpin both cosmology and modern CAD-driven looms. A reminder that computation isn't just electronics—i...
Intellectually Curious
A classic rope puzzle that seems simple unlocks a doorway to the foundations of mathematics. We trace how lighting two ends and timing the second fuse reveals the fusible numbers, show they are all dyadic rationals, and explore the well-ordered structure whose gaps encode epsilon naught—the proof-theoretic strength of Peano arithmetic. Join us as we connect a playful parlor trick to the absolute limits of formal arithmetic, revealing how the simplest rules can hide immense logical depth. Not...
