ciphergoth comments on Open Thread: January 2010 - Less Wrong

5 Post author: Kaj_Sotala 01 January 2010 05:02PM

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Comment author: Zack_M_Davis 04 January 2010 01:09:59AM 0 points [-]

the non-exception convention (0 is a number, a square is a rectangle, the empty product is 1, . . .)

Is there such a convention? We don't say that one is prime. e^x is often said to be the only function that is its own derivative, as if the zero function somehow didn't count.

Comment author: ciphergoth 07 January 2010 03:42:50PM 2 points [-]

ke^x is its own derivative for any k, including 0. It's a lot more convenient for 1 not to be prime. But 0! = 1, for example.