Reading the documentation
Rustom Mody
rustompmody at gmail.com
Thu Aug 24 22:16:46 EDT 2017
On Friday, August 25, 2017 at 6:55:46 AM UTC+5:30, Ben Bacarisse wrote:
> Steve D'Aprano writes:
>
> > On Fri, 25 Aug 2017 09:41 am, bob gailer wrote:
> >
> >>> Help on built-in function floor in module math:
> >>>
> >>> floor(...)
> >>> floor(x)
> >>>
> >>> Return the floor of x as an Integral.
> >>> This is the largest integer <= x.
> > [...]
> >
> >> I was surprised by the use of "integral". A dictionary search does not
> >> (IMHO) support this usage!
> >
> > Integral \In"te*gral\, a. [Cf. F. int['e]gral. See Integer.]
>
> For me (and I suspect for BG too) the surprise is in its use as a noun.
> The capital letter is, presumably, significant because it refers to the
> Python class Integral -- a subtype of numbers.
>
> With that in mind, "an Integral" is a shorthand for "an Integral value",
> or more fully, maybe, "an instance of numbers.Integral".
>
> > [1913 Webster]
> > 1. Lacking nothing of completeness; complete; perfect;
> > uninjured; whole; entire.
> > [1913 Webster]
> >
> > A local motion keepeth bodies integral. --Bacon.
> > [1913 Webster]
> >
> > 2. Essential to completeness; constituent, as a part;
> > pertaining to, or serving to form, an integer; integrant.
> > [1913 Webster]
> >
> > Ceasing to do evil, and doing good, are the two
> > great integral parts that complete this duty.
> > --South.
> > [1913 Webster]
> >
> > 3. (Math.)
> > (a) Of, pertaining to, or being, a whole number or
> > undivided quantity; not fractional.
> > (b) Pertaining to, or proceeding by, integration; as, the
> > integral calculus.
> > [1913 Webster]
>
> The use as a noun is not covered here, though it is only a small step
> from other places where membership of a mathematical set has turned the
> adjective into a noun. "Rational" and "real" started out as adjectives,
> but their use as nouns is now widespread. "The function returns a
> real". "The result is a rational". It's much less common for complex
> and integral, to the point that it sounds wrong to me.
Statement 1: Aeroplanes fly
Statement 2: Submarines swim
Are these two statements equally acceptable?
[Inspired by a talk by Noam Chomsky]
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