Indications from a recent survey, as reported by the US market research firm CivicScience, suggest a notable segment of the American populace, approximately half, does not believe Arabic numerals ought to be incorporated into educational curricula within the United States.
These specific numerical symbols are, in fact, the fundamental ten digits (0 through 9) integral to our daily operations.
This finding is concurrently astounding and entirely foreseeable, given the prevailing climate of heightened political polarization and a generally inconsistent grasp of scientific principles. An examination of the sociology of tribalism could illuminate these numerical disparities and perhaps guide us toward efficacious resolutions.
Last week, John Dick, the Chief Executive Officer of CivicScience, presented data that he characterized as a “testament to American bigotry,” derived from responses to a recent poll.
Ladies and Gentlemen: The saddest and funniest testament to American bigotry we’ve ever seen in our data. pic.twitter.com/Bh3FBsl8sR
— John Dick (@jdcivicscience) May 11, 2019
Regrettably, the scope for in-depth analysis of the polling data is limited, extending only to a screenshot of the response and a tweet that delineates the political affiliations of the 3,624 participants.
However, based solely on this solitary inquiry within this particular survey, it appears that around 56 percent of Americans either advocate for a return to Roman numerals or are unaware that the Hindu-Arabic numeral system has been a steadfast component of US educational frameworks for many generations.
Should you be curious about the nomenclature of this system, allow for a brief historical overview.
Approximately in the 5th century CE, in the region now recognized as India, a symbolic system for numerical representation was devised, rendering arithmetic operations exceptionally swift and straightforward. Its utility was so profound that Western travelers, traversing back and forth through Persia, adopted it, incorporating their own modifications and stylistic elements. This historical trajectory explains its designation as the technically accurate Hindu-Arabic system of numeration.
Certain early proponents in Europe, such as the 13th-century Italian mathematician Leonardo Bonacci, more commonly known as Fibonacci, recognized its advantages over the cumbersome Roman figures and embraced its adoption. The remainder of the Western world delayed for a couple of centuries, until the advent of the printing press facilitated the widespread dissemination of these advanced numerals.
This abridged account underscores that the digits 0 through 9, familiar to many from early childhood education, possess a multicultural heritage frequently mistaken as predominantly Western.
When one factors in a pronounced degree of disdain for minority cultures in the Middle East, the 56 percent figure becomes almost anticipated.
In a response to an inquiry regarding the political breakdown of other survey results, Dick shared his personal perspective on the poll’s implications.
Our goal in this experiment was to tease out prejudice among those who didn’t understand the question. Most people don’t know the origins of our numerical system and yet picked a tribal answer anyway. You can argue that one is worse than the other but both prove a similar point.
— John Dick (@jdcivicscience) May 15, 2019
His assertion that tribalism profoundly influences science education is difficult to contest.
Unless your cognitive processes are exceptionally distinct, this sentiment likely extends to yourself as well.
While a portion of the populace perceives our numeral system as not being (or not deserving to be) Arabic due to their ingrained tribal values, others will readily posit explanations for the emergence of such misinformation, also based on their own tribal affiliations.
Although documented instances exist of political figures espousing discriminatory views who have misguidedly advocated for the prohibition of Arabic numerals, some individuals are also quick to disseminate parodies from satirical news outlets, which can portray prominent figures as appearing remarkably ill-informed.
It is acknowledged that in an environment where fabricated news frequently intersects with Poe’s law, discerning between factual information and falsehood requires a heightened application of critical cognitive faculties.
Fortunately, scientific understanding provides a robust framework for comprehending the tribal biases that shape our perception and learning, not only concerning number systems but across a spectrum of subjects, from climate change and evolution to the planet’s geomorphology and the decision to vaccinate children.
Tribalism acts as a divisive force, isolating individuals from valuable scientific knowledge.
However, this very understanding also offers a foundational starting point for efforts aimed at reducing that 56 percent figure to a more palatable level. The process begins with identifying shared commonalities rather than focusing on divisive elements.
