A Jewish song for Pi Day
Mar. 13th, 2016 05:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bnewmanThis song is not new, but I don't think I've ever discussed it in depth in this journal, and with Pi Day upon us it seemed like a good time.
So why a Jewish song about π? The claim is out there that the Bible claims that π is equal to 3 — years ago, I saw it come up on two Internet communities, rec.music.filk and a Quaker pagan list, at about the same time. Mostly it's presented in the context of "look, the Bible is wrong about science!" (if you want to show that the Bible is wrong about science, there are of course better disproof-texts than this).
Years later, at the Havurah Institute, I had the opportunity to join a study session with Adam Levine on the topic of what the Jewish tradition really says about π, and — remembering those newsgroup conversations — I jumped at the chance. I was not disappointed. This article cites essentially the same sources as Adam's handout if you want to delve deeper.
Out of that study session came this song (mp3), which I finally had the opportunity to share with Adam at last summer's Havurah Institute, to his profound delight. I hope you will find it just as delightful.
So why a Jewish song about π? The claim is out there that the Bible claims that π is equal to 3 — years ago, I saw it come up on two Internet communities, rec.music.filk and a Quaker pagan list, at about the same time. Mostly it's presented in the context of "look, the Bible is wrong about science!" (if you want to show that the Bible is wrong about science, there are of course better disproof-texts than this).
Years later, at the Havurah Institute, I had the opportunity to join a study session with Adam Levine on the topic of what the Jewish tradition really says about π, and — remembering those newsgroup conversations — I jumped at the chance. I was not disappointed. This article cites essentially the same sources as Adam's handout if you want to delve deeper.
Out of that study session came this song (mp3), which I finally had the opportunity to share with Adam at last summer's Havurah Institute, to his profound delight. I hope you will find it just as delightful.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2016-03-14 10:06 am (UTC)At MASSFILC, someone mentioned the Indiana legislature as having once taken the same view. Actually, the bill was never passed, and the value it offered wasn't 3. According to an article from Purdue University (www•agecon•purdue•edu/crd/localgov/second%20level%20pages/indiana_pi_story.htm) it was 3.2; I recall reading another account that said it was some obscure and incorrect value. The bill presented a whole slew of mathematical gibberish, so it might have contradicted itself on pi.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-03-15 12:34 am (UTC)Meanwhile, possibly my favorite inane "the Bible is WRONG about SCIENCE" assertion is the one about how bats aren't birds.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-03-15 02:52 am (UTC)