[USMA:24004] Base 10 vs base 12

[kilopascal]

2002-12-15   The Alien visitors and explorers who came to this world 10 000 years ago, genetically re-engineered life on this world, taught mankind some of their basic principles, and are the ones responsible for us using base 10 math.   If humans and animals have 5 fingers/toes/claw on each hand/foot/paw, it is the result the Alien genetic engineers chose.  The reason why they chose to teach us base 10 and not base 12 is something we may never know.  We can speculate, but that is all it will be is speculation.    I think it is a moot issue as to why we use base 10.  The fact is we do and we have to make the best of it.  The organisation of SI is the best suited measurement system for base 10.  Even if FFU-ists insist that FFU is base 2, base 12, base 16, or whatever suits their fancy for the moment, the fact is we are a base 10 people and only a base 10 measurement system will function most efficiently   We can wish we were a base 12 people, but we are not.  Let the FFU-ists worry about all those bases, while we worry about completing the metrication process.  If the Aliens didn't have a problem using base 10, then we don't need to have one either.     John       ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: U.S. Metric Association Sent: Sunday, 2002-12-15 12:19 Subject: [USMA:24002] Re: Measure of all things In a message dated 2002-12-15 07:15:52 Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: You may not be a... "believer" in God, but such result certainly seems to indicate that God did plan for us to use base 10 after all!!  This may indeed have something to do with the fact that we were endowed with 10 fingers, I honestly don't know.  It does make sense though since in times yonder humankind was still crawling when it comes to science.  As we evolved into a more modern society, sure, we could, as you correctly argued, ultimately "get used" or 'familiar' with another base, like 12, for instance.  But, still, we would NOT function as efficiently in it!  That's the whole point, Jim. If you count the dew claws, my basset hound and cats are also base 10. cm