Description
A number N is a count NX [x] of elementary entity X divided by the unit-entity UX [x]. X must represent the same entity in both occurences. The counting-unit [x] cancels by division, such that numbers (for example, numbers 8 or 24) are abstracted from the counted entity (we write 8 and 24, although 8 x·x-1 and 24 x·x-1 would be equally correct; distinguished from a count of 8 x or 24 x if we count an entity-type X=apple). It is difficult to separate the concept of 'number' from the realization of number words or number symbols. Consider the symbol 9 written into MitoPedia as elementary entity X=9. Then counting "9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9" yields a count N9 = 8 x, and the count N9 [x] divided by the unit-entity U9 [x] yields the number N = 8. The human number concept has not only quantitative cardinal meaning related to the count (8 or 24 elementary entities), but is applied in expressing the ordinal rank of objects or events arranged in a sequence (in the Fibonacci-sequence 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, .. the 8th number is 13; the 24th day of a month), and in nominal labelling (drawing lot #24). Natural numbers are unified multiplicities required for counting. Numbers are represented by words, iconic symbols, or entirely abstract symbols. The word 'snake', the word 'eight', the symbol '8' written in ink on a piece of white paper are as different from the real "object snake", as they differ from the "concept ////////", or "concept §§§§§§§§", or "concept 88888888", or "concept 'number eight'". We are so deeply used to these symbols, that we easily take the iconic or abstract symbol that represents a number as the number itself.
Abbreviation: N
Communicated by Gnaiger Erich 2020-06-27
References
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MitoPedia concepts:
Ergodynamics