Why Ratios Matter More than Numbers
According to Pierre Pica, understanding quantities approximately in terms of estimating ratios is a universal human intuition. In fact, humans who do not have numbers have no choice but
① to see
the world in this way. By contrast, understanding quantities in terms of exact numbers is not a universal intuition; it is a product of culture. The precedence of approximations and ratios over exact numbers, Pica suggests,
② is due to
the fact that ratios are much more important for survival in the wild than the ability to count.
③ Faced
with a group of spear-wielding adversaries, we needed to know instantly whether there were more of them than us. When we saw two trees we needed to know instantly
④ that
had more fruit hanging from it. In neither case was it
⑤ necessary
to enumerate every enemy or every fruit individually. The crucial thing was to be able to make quick estimates of the relative amounts.
enumerate: 일일이 세다