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The base of ten is the most natural one (if I remember well, we all have about 10 fingers), and it is the most important one.

Remember that math is only of use if it can be applied to real world problems. Other bases than 10 are only interesting for computing machines, but even there the result have to be human readable (again base 10), otherwise nobody would be able to understand.

I see the base 10 as the only really important base to us humans (machines may have different preferences...).



The base of ten is the most natural one

It probably just seems that way because we're used to it. At some point when designing a system of numbers, 10 was a convenient answer to the question of how many digits to use. This doesn't mean it has a neurological basis.

I searched the Web a little bit for research pointing to a neurological basis for decimal. I didn't find it, but I did find this article on the brain's handling of numbers: http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2007/01/6661.ars

I see the base 10 as the only really important base to us humans (machines may have different preferences...)

If communication is ever established with non-human intelligences, it will be important to move beyond speciesism. When aliens finally land, or AI awakens, we should be able to say "Welcome. All your base are okay with us."


If they use a base based (no pun intended) number system at all.


Good point. I guess roman numerals would be an example of an un-based system, although it still seems to make you think in powers of ten.


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