Mary Everest Boole

Philosophy & Fun of Algebra Mary Everest Boole

Arithmetic means dealing logically with facts which we know (about questions of number)."Logically"; that is to say, in accordance with the "Logos" or hidden wisdom, i.e. the laws of normal action of the human mind. For instance, you are asked what will have to be paid for six pounds of sugar at 3d. a pound. You multiply the six by the three. That is not because of any property of sugar, or of the copper of which the pennies are made. You would have done the same if the thing bought had been starch or apples. You would have done just the same if the material had been tea at 3s. a pound. Moreover, you would have done just the same kind of action if you had been asked the price of seven pounds of tea at 2s. a pound. You do what you do under direction of the Logos or hidden wisdom. And this law of the Logos is made not by any King or Parliament, but by whoever or whatever created the human mind. Suppose that any Parliament passed an act that all the children in the kingdom were to divide the price by the number of pounds; the Parliament could not makethe answer come right. The only result of a foolish Act of Parliament like that would be that everybody's sums would come wrong, and everybody's accounts be in confusion, and everybody would wonder why the trade of the country was going to the bad.