When counting up to 5 from the fist, I extend from my index finger in order, and finally my thumb. However, there are some areas that begin to extend from the thumb or little finger. In the world, there are some cultures where the thumb and other fingers are counted together, and the special thing is that the knuckles of the fingers are bent to count more than 5. When I moved my finger , surprised at the precise movement of the finger.

According to Homunculus, which depicts the proportion of sensory organs in the cerebral cortex. The size of the hand is about half the height and is like wrapping the head with both hands. As a child, playing with a finger or spinning a pencil with one hand may have a role in improving intelligence.

Using the binary system, you can count up to 31 with one hand. It is a mechanism to write the numbers 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, from the thumb to the little finger in order and add the number of standing fingers. I thought this was the most countable method. Maybe a book said, “In ancient civilization, one hand was able to express even larger numbers, but that method is not recorded.”

Did the invention of numbers degenerate our counting abilities? Then, with the invention of computers, future humans may not be able to count up to 5 with one hand. To avoid that, we’ll have to quickly find a way to express up to 100 with one hand.

(2020年5月17日@nortan)

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