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Math Rat Tattoo
Apr. 14th, 2022 03:20 pmIt seems that I have some ink permanently etched in my skin, specifically on the inner-right forearm, a rattus norvegicus with a mathematical flowchart following its body. My interests this body art are, as always, multi-layered and complex. Firstly, rattus norvegicus is pretty obvious; I had some twenty-two pet rats from around 2003-2014, and I loved each of these clever, emotional, and deeply empathic creatures dearly. Once I gave a presentation where I tried to cram in as much of my knowledge of these amazing creatures. This is my tattoo in memory of my animal companions. As companions, I am deeply saddened that rattus' are subject to often cruelty in experimentation. Kristin Andrews' essay, "Rats are us" points this out in some detail and is a very worthy read.
In particular the equations I use on rattus represent a mathematical flowchart of particular experiments that are as significant as they are uncaring. It involved dropping rats into water and seeing how long they would swim before they drowned. The domestic rats would swim for an hour or more, whilst their wild cousins, just as competent swimmers if not more so, died within minutes. The difference? The domestic rats believed in their human carers. Too strange? Well, then another set of domestic rats were tested, and then rescued at the last moment. Once they recovered, they were put in the water again. This time they would swim literally for days, obviously terrified for their life, but desperate with the hope that they would be rescued a second time. They weren't, of course. Science must progress and who cares about a drowned rat? So this is also my animal welfare tattoo. Rats are us.
Also, I love mathematics; it is the language of nature, so to speak, and carries great beauty and elegance in its abstract simplicity and rigorous logic. This is also my mathematical naturalism tattoo and thus the equation; a beginning (alpha, the nose of the rat), exists with a finite time series (∃t=0..n<∞) of life that is confronted by normal distribution challenges that are increased with time (time wounds all heels ) and are reduced through resilience (inner strength, hope, etc) (Cn=𝒩 (µ, σ²)+(t-r)). If the value is too great it comes to a full stop resulting in the end (omega). Otherwise, there is a continuation, which continues the alpha-cycle. The rats, like people, can overcome many challenges if there is even a glimmer of hope, it spurs their inner strength to reach out for support. Rats are us.
The location is also important. I chose the right arm because if I ever do encounter a challenge that is greater than my hope and resilience, it will be with my own hand that I make the final decision (unfortunate accidents withstanding). I know that some prefer the semi-colon, and I respect that. But I have chosen a continuation sequence instead. For me (being mathematical rather than literary in this instance) it represents that almost every single day I have the question of continued existence confronting me without respite, an eternal recurrence. So far, I have followed the continuation sequence, a sequence of semi-colons if you like. And almost every day? Yes, there have been times of very notable exceptions, and perhaps one day I will explain - but the time is certainly not right at the present. For today, I have a math rat tattoo. Rats are us.
In particular the equations I use on rattus represent a mathematical flowchart of particular experiments that are as significant as they are uncaring. It involved dropping rats into water and seeing how long they would swim before they drowned. The domestic rats would swim for an hour or more, whilst their wild cousins, just as competent swimmers if not more so, died within minutes. The difference? The domestic rats believed in their human carers. Too strange? Well, then another set of domestic rats were tested, and then rescued at the last moment. Once they recovered, they were put in the water again. This time they would swim literally for days, obviously terrified for their life, but desperate with the hope that they would be rescued a second time. They weren't, of course. Science must progress and who cares about a drowned rat? So this is also my animal welfare tattoo. Rats are us.
Also, I love mathematics; it is the language of nature, so to speak, and carries great beauty and elegance in its abstract simplicity and rigorous logic. This is also my mathematical naturalism tattoo and thus the equation; a beginning (alpha, the nose of the rat), exists with a finite time series (∃t=0..n<∞) of life that is confronted by normal distribution challenges that are increased with time (time wounds all heels ) and are reduced through resilience (inner strength, hope, etc) (Cn=𝒩 (µ, σ²)+(t-r)). If the value is too great it comes to a full stop resulting in the end (omega). Otherwise, there is a continuation, which continues the alpha-cycle. The rats, like people, can overcome many challenges if there is even a glimmer of hope, it spurs their inner strength to reach out for support. Rats are us.
The location is also important. I chose the right arm because if I ever do encounter a challenge that is greater than my hope and resilience, it will be with my own hand that I make the final decision (unfortunate accidents withstanding). I know that some prefer the semi-colon, and I respect that. But I have chosen a continuation sequence instead. For me (being mathematical rather than literary in this instance) it represents that almost every single day I have the question of continued existence confronting me without respite, an eternal recurrence. So far, I have followed the continuation sequence, a sequence of semi-colons if you like. And almost every day? Yes, there have been times of very notable exceptions, and perhaps one day I will explain - but the time is certainly not right at the present. For today, I have a math rat tattoo. Rats are us.
