Re: Epistemology 201: The Science of Science

From: Neil W Rickert (rickert+nn_at_cs.niu.edu)
Date: 02/28/05 

Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2005 15:59:44 +0000 (UTC)

lesterDELzick@worldnet.att.net (Lester Zick) writes:
><nowhere@nowhere.net> in comp.ai.philosophy wrote:

>>In the context of angles it is. Radian is a unit of anglular
>>measurement. Pi is just a number. In the context pi radians was meant.

>Yeah, Bob, I'm just glad I didn't say pi when I meant pi radians for a
>straight angle or you and the peanut gallery would have been laughing
>up your sleeves for days. So maybe I should rephrase a previous
>question and ask if pi falls on pi? Context is everything, Bob.

In a mathematical context, angles are given in the natural form of
expression. Adding the superfluous word "radians" is optional, and
at the discretion of the writer/speaker.

The use of radians is not a choice of measurement unit. It is the
natural unit. The only reason to ever specify is to avoid ambiguity
with unnatural units such as degrees.

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