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Is the derivative a rhetorical intensifier? – Math with Bad Drawings

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A mathematician named Stephen Pollock once pointed me towards a strange turn of phrase. In a New York Times Sunday Review piece on August 23, 2013, two authors penned this clause: “As the rate of acceleration of innovation increases…” Listen to that again, and count the derivatives. Stephen broke down the mathematics like this: Level of technology in society = T Innovation = change in technological level = T’ Acceleration of innovation = second derivative of innovation = T ’ ’ ’ Rate of acceleration of innovation = T ’ ’ ’ ’ Rate of acceleration of innovation is increasing means T ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ > 0. In short: this is a claim about fifth derivative! Stephen wrote to the authors (two economists) and received the following gracious reply: I am thrilled at the care you put into unpacking ‘the rate of acceleration of innovation increases’ – clearly, we used the terms as intensifiers in this context, and I am glad to have my attention returned to the implications of phrase in a technical context

Math June 25, 2024 June 24, 2024 1 Minute A mathematician named Stephen Pollock once pointed me towards a strange turn of phrase. In a New York Times Sunday Review piece on August 23, 2013, two authors penned this clause: “As the rate of acceleration of innovation increases…” Listen to that again, and count the derivatives. Stephen broke down the mathematics like this: Level of technology in society = T Innovation = change in technological level = T’ Acceleration of innovation = second derivative of innovation = T ’ ’ ’ Rate of acceleration of innovation = T ’ ’ ’ ’ Rate of acceleration of inn

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