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Joined 3 years ago
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Cake day: July 3rd, 2023

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  • The problem is that there are an infinite number of directions that are going north. Going north parallell to the ground is not the same direction as an upwards or downwards path. You can have any inclination between (-pi/2, pi/2) and still be going north. If you don’t specify the inclination, it is likely to be assumed to be zero, i.e. the baby is moving parallell to the earths normal plane, but it’s it is uncertain. That’s why you need two vectors in 3d space.



  • So “16.4 mph north” is sufficient.

    No, it’s not. “North” is a two dimensional direction on the surface of the earth. But we live, and can throw babies, in three dimension. Therefore you need to specify the inclination as well. “56 furlongs per minute, north, 0.3 radians” would suffice.













  • Hi, it’s me, the devils advocate.

    One could argue that every instrument made out of wood is needlessly taking lives, since the tree died. It’s also possible to extend the argument so that every instrument is needlessly taking lives, since no matter what material you use requires use of energy and we have no way to generate energy without something dying.

    The question naturally comes down to what is needless. Needless for what? Needless according to whom? When it comes to art, as music does, it is completely subjective. It is completely valid to think this use of materials is needless but who’s to say what’s correct. The marker of this probably didn’t think their work was needless.