For instance: I post that x is 8, and y is 6, and thus that subtracting y from x gets me z, which is 3. When this value of z has a personal component -- that is, I have accorded it a personal value (even if unwittingly), then that z is going to be treated as though it's an iron in my fire. Pointing out that z is, in fact, not equal to 3 but instead equal to 2 is a refutation. In an uncertainty post, this refutation is easily taken as correction; amendment is made. You'll only discover the underlying value judgment if, in the face of a solid explanation, I refuse to consider that there might be a correct answer that is not 3 -- and thus you know you're dealing with a certainty post.
I started laughing at this section because I have fond memories of my husband trying to persuade someone online that repeating decimal numbers do exist in our number system (in particular that 1/3 really did equal 0.333333.....). Needless to say he didn't succeed.
Trying to explain to my curious daughter that I wasn't laughing at this post but at the memories of my husband's inability to give up easily was also fun.
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Date: 12 Feb 2010 12:55 am (UTC)I started laughing at this section because I have fond memories of my husband trying to persuade someone online that repeating decimal numbers do exist in our number system (in particular that 1/3 really did equal 0.333333.....). Needless to say he didn't succeed.
Trying to explain to my curious daughter that I wasn't laughing at this post but at the memories of my husband's inability to give up easily was also fun.