That’s there because of analog clocks, which somebody in history decided would look too cluttered if they counted all 24 hrs, and at any rate we’re asleep for roughly a third of them anyway, so it’s superfluous. The 12-hr clock is an elegant design solution.
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rufus@discuss.tchncs.de 10 months ago
Not that you asked, but the thing that I have most issues with is the AM in that time. I think you should drop that and just count to 23 instead of to 12. It always confuses me if 12am is noon or midnight. And it’s superfluous anyways. We have enough numbers, no need to be stingy.
CeruleanRuin@lemmings.world 10 months ago
rufus@discuss.tchncs.de 10 months ago
I’m not so sure. I get why it is the way it is. I think these numbers are called Highly composite numbers. That’s why we got 12 and 60.
But it comes with issues. As I said you start with the 12 and then the one. That’s probably because the number zero has a complicated past. And now you have the clock going around twice a day and you need to prefix everything with am/pm. Or it’s clear from the context.
I think the number Pi is the same complicated concept. Why half around the circle and you need to memorize all the '2’s in the formulas? Why not make it once around the circle and use tau = 6.28… ?
So I think I can understand why we got there. But we have the number 0 nowadays. And electric light so we can stay up till 1am. So it seems an outdated concept to me to keep the 12 around. And if it were elegant, you wouldn’t need to specify which turn of the clock you’re talking about.
asdfasdfasdf@lemmy.world 10 months ago
IMO it’s confusing because it makes no sense, since I would think the 12 should always be the same AM / PM as the last 11 numbers. But it’s not. E.g. 1 hour after 11 PM is 12 AM.
CoggyMcFee@lemmy.world 10 months ago
If AM (ante meridiem) means “before midday” and PM (post meridiem) means “after midday”, then I think it makes sense. That doesn’t mean it isn’t confusing, but it makes sense.
rufus@discuss.tchncs.de 10 months ago
Rly? Is midday 12 hours before or after midday, then?
CoggyMcFee@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I’m sure you can sort it all out from the information I’ve given you already.
CalamityBalls@kbin.social 10 months ago
12:01AM is definitely 00:01, so 12AM is midnight.
Agree though, 24hr clock is just better.
rufus@discuss.tchncs.de 10 months ago
Yeah, thanks. I don’t know how to get this into my brain. For me it’d just make as much sense that 12:01PM was 00:01. I always drift into looking at it like numbers in a succession… 10am, 11am, 12am, 1pm, … but that’s wrong. And the latin origin doesn’t help me either. Noon is neiter ‘before midday’ neither “post meridiem”. But it makes sense that the day starts at 00:00 with something AM and it keeps being AM for the fist half.
VulKendov@reddthat.com 10 months ago
The seventh day that God rested on, the sabbath, is observed on Saturday in Jewish and some Christian traditions.
rufus@discuss.tchncs.de 10 months ago
Ah, you’re right. The week starts on ‘Yom Rishon’ and ends on ‘Yom Shabbat’. So starting your week on Sunday is correct in the Hebrew calendar.
Oyster_Lust@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Many businesses in the U.S. now start their week on Thursday.
rufus@discuss.tchncs.de 10 months ago
Okay. Haven’t heard of that… What’s the reasoning behind that?